THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR-BEET.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1429, 30 August 1881, Page 2

THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR-BEET.

— rr The following extracts arc made ftotu a* letter received by Mr W.A. Graham 'from his Hamburgh corresp indent in answer to a communication from him ;—; — I may mention that I cominunioated its > contents (Mr Graham's tetter) to the lar--gest e^aOlHiraent in Germany,, for the. complete turn out of such beet sugar factories. The people «^ r ere highly .pleased with the tesult of the teats made by Mr Pond, and calculate than the profits, even without the direct' gain to the farmers, would bo very large. They have erected the greatest number of sugar phmts here, and themselves own a beet plantation and sugar factory in the neighbourhood of Strasburg (Alsace.) The are willing to ereot for you a complete factory, and send the requisite number of skilled- workmen, with overseer, so that the working during the first twelve months maj not be attended with any hitch through want of proper management. They will besides undertake the guarantee that the machinery and whole apparatus shall be erected and handed over to you in perfect order, and in fact be a success, as far as their part of the undertaking goe3. They will further take one-fifth share of the capital apart from the shares whioh I would take myself, or some of my friends here. But the great bulk of the shareholders must come from New Zealand for the following important reasons : 1. That the management must necessarily be in New Zealand, and therefore supervised by local gentlemen having an interest in the concern. 2. That New Zealand farmers must take the principal shares, to ensure their planting a sufficient quantity of the beet root. It is quite out of the question to take German farming men out there, buy land, and build houses for them. That would be too cumbersome, too tedious, and expensive, or, in other words, require double the capital The capital requisite for a first-class factory would be about £25,000 or £30,000, and should, In my opinou, be {erected (say) by the issue of 1008 shares of £25 each. I presume the banks would allow overdraft on hypothecation to provide funds for current expenditure. . . . My friends here, if you should be able to form a company, would require an udertaking in the deed of partnership that all shareholders would agree "only to crow beetroot for the pioneer company, as they fell certain that the results will be so satisfactory aa to create a desire for more factories, find in order to keep opposition out of the field, this proviso would be necessary. ... In order to benefit by the Government bonus of £1000, it would perhaps be necessary to enquire whether such has lapsed in the meantime, and if so, whether the Government would feel inclined to restore the same ; and then it would be advisable at once to sound the views of your neighbours, and if favourable start the undertaking, by caubing your friends t» take up at least, 750 shores of £25 each, with the understanding to grow sufficient acreage of beetroot. The remaining 250 shares would be placed by us here."