PRICE OF SUGAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1920, Page 6

PRICE OF SUGAR.

INCREASE PREDICTED. For some time it has been the opinion of merchants and grocers in Auckland that a rise in the price of sugar is inevitable, but none were .sure how, at would come and how much it would be. Now that they have heard that the Government has accepted the offer of the Colonial Sugar Company and purchased the Fiji crop, the grocers appear to have little better idea of the coming price, for several of the gentlemen who are interested in the price of sugar were very cautious when asked what they thought the new price would be (says the Star). One informant pointed out that tli3 present agreement between the Company and the Government did not expire until the end of June, and therefore, no rise would happen before then. He was also at pains to fexplain that the rationing system had been in vogue for many months now, so that hoarding by the public or the grocer was apparently out of the question. Sugar was still being doled ofct a pound or two at a time, and there was no chance of anybody getting any considerable quantity. Another gentleman was not prepared to say what he thought might be a future price of this article when retailed to the public, but he hazarded the opinion that if, would be something less than sixpence a pound, possibly lesa than fivepence. Australia was paying £3O a ton for sugar in bulk, and his opinion was that when the Government owned the raw material, and had it refined under agreement >by the company, just as Australia was doing at present, the price would possibly be something near £3O, probably a little less. But added to this would be added the cost of handling when the supply was subdivided into smail lots. "Of course householders may complain," he added, "but I don't see how anything can be done. The price will certainly rise, possibly early in July after the present contract ceases. Mors than that I cannot say, for the Government does not take us into its confidence."