THE PRICE OF SUGAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 June 1921, Page 4

THE PRICE OF SUGAR.

NO IMMEDIATE REDUCTION. QUESTION OF QUALITY. Some business firms as well as some cautious housewives are refraining from buying sugar except in very limited quantities at present, under the impression, it appears, that the price is going to fall in the near future. A reporter who made some inquiries on the subject in Wellington could not gather that there was any good ground for this anticipation. The factor that has at* tracted attention is the reported offer of Java sugar a a landed price of about £26 per ton. But this offer is for forward delivery. The sugar is still in Java, and any New Zealand firms that may send orders will have to wait a « good long time before they' receive sup-/ plies. It is possible, of course, thail some small lots may be purchaseable in Australia or afloat, but there would no< be enough of that sugar to reach mar?y I people. I Definite information regarding the 1 new contract now being negotiated be- I tween the New Zealand Government and f the Colonial Sugar Company is not ) available, but there certainly will be no ■ imliediato reduction in the price of I sugar. A substantial quantity of sugar I landed in New Zealand at the old price I has still to be consumed, and in the ) meantime the sugar that may be landed j under the new contract will not reaJh the local market. The new sugar ia \ expected to be cheaper) but a return tn j the pre-war price is not in the least I proable. The Java sugar, which Is oon- ) sidered to be particularly cheap, would cost about 4d per pound by the time it reached the consumer. Economical housewives may not be aware that the Java sugar is not equal in quality to the sugar that the people of this country are accustomed to use, The sugar that New Zealand has been getting under the Government contract is a general purpose sugar, suitable for all uses, and this quality has to be paid for. The difference expressed in money is estimated by manufacturers to ba from £5 to £lO per ton in favor of tha contract sugar.