THE SUGAR SHORTAGE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3451, 3 April 1920, Page 5

THE SUGAR SHORTAGE.

LARGE STOCKS IN FIJI,

TONS AWAITING SHIPMENT.

DUNEDIN, March 31. “

' In an interview‘Mr ‘James Horn, M.P. for Wakatipu, made reference to the stocks of sugar which are stored in Suva. His remarks are of special interest [in view of the shortage of this commodity and the difficulty of manufacturers and housewives in procuring supplies. ‘

“At Lautoka,” he Said, “is the largest sugar mill in‘the world, covering 13é”'acres. There we loaded 1380 tons of sugarand 1500 sacks of maize for New Zealand. We found in stock ‘at the mill 30,000 tons of sugar, which the company is willing to Ship at the ‘earliest possible moment as crushing ‘operations will be resumed in June and it wishes. to effect a clearance before then. At a place called Ba, about 25 miles distant from Lau-toka and connected with it by the only free railway in the world, ther eis another large mill where a further quantity. of sugar is awaiting shipment. There is yet another mill which we did not see with cfinsiderable stocks in hand. These ‘three mills all belong to the Colonial Sugar Coijpany and there is not less than 60,000 tons "of sugar waiting to be brought to New Zealand. , ‘

> “When 'I was in ‘Auckland I inform'ed the Board of Trade there as to the position, adding that if it did not take steps to get this sugar to the Dominion it would probably find its way to Sydney.

“In view of the proposed increase of £4 per ton in the_ price of sugar which, I understand, is to take effect from June next", it wouTc‘l pay the Board of Trade to charter ‘several steamers, because the Saving effected ’would"easiiy coverfthe V freight and charter charges, and in addition the people of New Zealand would have sufficient sugar to la§‘t-for a considerperiod.