THE SWEET TOOTH.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 218, 1 June 1915, Page 2

THE SWEET TOOTH.

THE SUGAR SHORTAGE,

PROBLEM IN NEW ZEALAND

LESS ACUTE THAN' IN AUSTRALIA

We hav e heard of many forms of self-denial during the war, and it would seem that yet another is likely to arise out of the shortage of sugar. Those controlling the supply in Australia de. clar e that stocks held locally are just about exhausted, while ,in New' Zealand it is stated that the normal stocks are not equal to abnormal demand. Housewives may do without eggs except on special occasions; they may substitute clarified fat for butter; they may sometimes use water instead of milk in the puddings’; but the thought of producing dishes without an adequate supply of sugar is the last drop needed to overflow the bucket. Why, the making of jam and the preserving or stewing of fruiit will be a luxury for the wealthy only unless thg Government adopt effective means of ensuring adequate supplies at reasonable rates. And unless similar action is taken in regard to kindred sweets like honey, treacle, etc., even the modest roly-poly will cease to be the poor man’s friend, LOWER COST IN NEW ZEALAND.

But there is a very strong reason

why consumers' in New Zealand should not fare as badly as their cousins in Australia That reason is found in the evidence of Mr E. W. Knox, general manager of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, Limited, before the Slate Commission of Inquiry in Sydney a few days ago. Witness said he did not know the quantity of sugar imported into the Commonwealth from Fiji in 1914. The price of sugar delivered in New Zealand from Fiji was £29 per ton. There was no duty there. They slipped 2,000 tons of the last crop to Vancouver; the selling price he would not mention, as it was other people’s business. The price of sugar in Adelaide was £22, and in Brisbane £23. The normal production of Australia was 243,000 tons, and of this his company refined about 200,000 tons. The shortage in Australia rendered necessary importation from Java, and ■;h e refining of this would leave a loss of probably £7 on the basis of existing ’nriccs

3rREGULATING LOCAL SUPPLIES. Three weeks ago attention was drawn in these columns to an intimation which had been circulated by the C.S.R. Company among its customers in Auckland to the effect that in view of the prospective shortage, and in order to regulate distribution of stocks in band, they were abiiged to restrict the execution of orders for the presort to th e normal consumption at this rime of the year. The Auckland manager of the. company (Mr W. J. W. Phil son), when seen this morning, said ‘hat the demand in Now Zealand war still abnormal. He was able to state that the company’s stocks were nor, mal and equal to meeting the demands of any ordinary period at this time of the year. The works at Chelsea are proceeding just as usual. NO .RICH BEFORE JUNE, Seme little while ago it was rsp-.-rtec that the company had given the Nov Zealand Government, an assurance tha* they would net raise the price of sugar, at least before a date in June. Mr Philson said this morning that he knew nothing definite about this undertaking or of how it was likely to affect th e price in the immediate future. He stated,that there was still a tendency towards hysterical buying among merchants and shopkeepers because of an anticipated shortage. Despite this, however, the company were continuing j to supply orders according to the quail-1 titles taken by the urchasers at the j same period of last year. MERCHANTS’ DIFFICULTIES. } As the result of inquiries among j Auckland merchants, the reporter j learned that difficulties are being ex- • perienced in obtaining sufficient sup- i plies for the meeting of retail demands, i The reason, of course, is that set cut j in th e circular issued by the company, j One merchant said that he had beeii j offered ten tons in satisfaction of an order which he had just placed for approximately 100 tons. Last year his firm took 135 tons, and to date this year they hav e had 125 tons. In the 12 months’ interval, however, their business had increased by 12 £ per cent., and to meet the remaining demands they wanted another 90 or 109 tons. Result: Offered 10 tons. ADVICE TO THE PUBLIC.

Another business man, who is largely interested in the retail trade, said that h e had been given to" understand that the company would be able to meet all orders for normal supplies, and that, providing the public did not become hysterical by wanting to buy bags where they had previously taken a few pounds, matter Would right themselves within a few weeks. All interested—and that includes everyone—will join in wishing that this prediction will be fulfilled.