SUGAR SHORTAGE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3509, 22 June 1920, Page 2

SUGAR SHORTAGE.

I A SURPRISING STATEMENT. I Sugar as a commodity and as a topic iis literaJUv in every/body '9 mouth, j though in the former case not in sucli quantities just now as may generally be desired. For some considerable time the supply has been quite unequal ' to the demand, and a large quantity I of fruit has been lost on account of ' a shortage for preserving purposes. In view of this it is surprising to read the remarks which the chairman of directors made at the half-yearly meeting of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. After pointing out that notwithstanding industrial difficulties the company's output was more '■ by 2000 tons than for any previous period, he said: "We are still unaware what has become of all we have sold. Apparently every other person complains of short supplies; has the neighbour in each case twice as much as is needed for his ordinary consumption'?'' Mystery number one us to the destination of the company's output, is associated with mystery number two as to price, for later on in his speech the chairman said: "The e.ause of the world's price of sugar j a to-us inexplicable . . . and we cannot understand how such a price can be maintained, nor how Europe can continue to import under these conditions." The company was-- advised to order its affairs so that a reversion to the prewar prices should not find it unprepared- Pending the solution of the mysteries associated with sugar it will be : consoling to the average consumer to i be told that the outlook for increased supplies is generally better. j