THE SUGAR SHORTAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1920, Page 5

THE SUGAR SHORTAGE.

POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH. Christchurch, Saturday. The announcement that 300 tons of sugar is due to arrive iu Lyttelton by the steamer Moeraki is not regarded very hopefully by grocers, who say that the shortage is so acute already that the jam-making season is lost to many house-holder:?. No information is available locally as .to the destination of the 800 tons, as the Colonial Sugar Company, the sole distributor, has no agent in Christchurch. The large grocers usually obtain supplies direct from the company, while foveral merchants distribute to the smaller grocers and suburban stores. Until the consignment rotes arrive for the present shipment, nobody can tell where the sugar will go to.' In any case, the city needs more like 1000 ton's than 300 tons to supply the requirements of the season. Rationing already has been severe, and one grocer estimates (hat by next week, if things continue as at present, the maximum quantity retailed will be reduced from 41b to 21b. A check is being placed on customers who have been doubling their orders, and further supplies will be stopped. Grocers, however, must keep faith with large establishments like the leading hotel?, and this imposes a heavy drain on supplies. More than one jrrocer has complained lately of the fact that breweries and confectionery works have not been obliged to go short of sugar. Mr. L. M. Isitt, M.P., has sent the following telegram to the Prime Minister:—"l suggest that in the present serious shortage of sugar it is only the right thing to withhold further supplies from breweries until such time as pressing household needs are met. There are bitter complaints here. The breweries seem to have no diflleultiik in getting sugar, while grocers and private customers are without. , Families end fruit-growers arc. faced with a famine in jam, while fruit has perished . This latter is a very serious aspect of the stion." question."