THE SHORTAGE OF SUGAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3405, 9 February 1920, Page 5

THE SHORTAGE OF SUGAR.

WELLINGTON, Feb. 6.

The suggestion that the general public was hoarding sugar, which was made in Auckland by the chairman of the Board of Trade (Mr VV. G. MC-' Donald), is denied xy VVe!2ing}on business men. ‘ Mr I\l<:D'xl‘-:1.-41 stated.‘ ‘further that the deliveries of fefinezl suga: by the Colonial Sug.-L; Cox:-par..y, during 17919 had Tomlied -56,460 tons, an increase of 500 tons over the fieliveries of 1918.

I “A ridiculous :=ugg-gstion," was the ‘comment of one \.Vell3ug';~m reaailer ‘when he was asked if he thought that ‘the general public had hear-lei sugar. |He stated further that his custof-.r.ers .had practically oeen rationed in re‘gard to sugar fc- 2.1.33‘-skis past. Pea iple who were .n the habit of buying itheir sugar by the .':-at; had b-en ccmv pelled to accept a few pounds at a. time. He had haexr {meal to turn a deaf ear to a.ppeals to ~ -s=..gr.r fut‘ _Z:2.'l.‘ ‘making pur-pores fvo:r..pe:r-.1.1e whose orders were -'i;: 11; - upetit.‘Nl of the ‘orders of prev:----3 years. Less 511321: was passing th").lgh n:'-. hands than !had been the case in other years. “I Ido not pretend to understand the position,” added the retailer. “The Board Eof Trade says that the demand for {sugar has increased -owing to reduced !imports of jam and confectionery and‘ Ithe cessation of the arrival of cocaBsional shipments from other coun’tries. That may ‘be, but the demand rvhas not been satisfied. My own exnperience points not so much to increased demand as to reduced supply. ‘lf the Sugar Comapny’s output is. Inorinal, then I do not know Where this ‘sugar is going. If there is hoarding lit must take place before the sugar lreaches the retailers.” I Other retailers expressed similar fviews. They were inclined to believe {that the demand for sugar showed !that this accounted wholly for the .‘shortage. They themselves were ilhandling less sugar than formerly, and {more than one trader added a sugges;tion that the best way of getting at: fthe facts of the case would be to take 'a census of sugar stocks. The Board.‘ of Trade might ask the Sugar Company and the merchants at the same time to show in what way the distri< bution of sugar at the present time varied from the position in other years. ‘