THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY. TO THE EDITOR.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1943, 18 December 1884, Page 3

THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY. TO THE EDITOR.

Siu, — It is my linn opinion that tho giowing of beet-roo 1 -, for the inanuf.ictnie of sugar will be of incalculable benefit to this district, or any other distmt that is well adapted for it^ giowth. You know at the present time our .sugar bill is upwaids of £700,000 per annum. Now, not to mention anything ahe, what an immense gain this would be if we could keep this money circulating amongst ourselves, instead of sending it out of the colony ? £700,000 is a vast hum to send away for an .uticlo that we are pre-eminently adapted for growing. I do not think we should look, in the first instance, for the direct benefit to be obtained by giowing the beet, although I believe that it will be no mean item, but to the .secondary benefit accruing. From in formation gleanpd fiom authentic souices, I think I am concct in stating th.it we should have veiy consideiably heavier grain ciops. I think nio-,t of us know that ceieals following a loot ciop ate veiy much heavier, as a mle, than when grass land is broken up. I think lam not far wiong in stating that our guvin crops %\ill be much heaviei aftei beetd than turnips, as the land lequues considerable nioie woikiug, and I belie\e I am correct in .stating that land is always in better heait after a thoiough good working and keeping down of weeds. Again, what we now want is notmoic pioducers—although I am far fioin saying this would not be a gain— but occupations opened up other than fanning. And heie we have an industry that is bound to become a great succc-s if we will only be determined that it f-hall. We h.nethe demand for all we can pioducc at om \eiv doors, and I know inobt of us Mould rather bo pioducing what we ould dispose of at onco, moie especially an article that would always be of nearly one standaid \alue. I think it faulty leasoning to look at what we can make by glowing beets. I say we should look beyond *.his point, and .see if, by glowing beets for sugar, we shall not see a laiger demand for our cheese, butter, bacon, eggs, wheat, potatoes, and everything else we grow. We aie all well aw.neth.it we can grow any an ount of pioduce, but we aie also well awtiie that we cannot dispose of it when piodnced. Fiom my shoit expeiience I know very well indeed tli.it va^t qunntitie.s more could be pi od need, e\en with out present supply of laboui, if only a profitable niaiket could bo found. Now the question arises : How is this niaiket to be found ? I thiuk we shall bo making a gieat mistake if we look exclusively to extraneous help. I say \se need to be up and doing, we need to beai in mind the old adage that " God helps those who help themselves"; let us not be looking to this thing and that, and saying if only so and so would happen why then we .should dohrst-clas*, but Ictus lathei take the bull by the lioins, and do for oinselves what has been done and is being done by others. Let us not say it cannot be done — it will not pay. We may not piobably make much out of the \entme at fir&t. Veiy few indiMiies pay ,it the commencement, but not let this detoi us. We are not at the pie-ent time c.u tying on many things at a pioht, theiefme F-*ayF -*ay it behoves us to do all that within us lays to take this scheme up w ith enthusiasm. I believo it is well to weigh the co.st befoie launching out. But I think ii tins sugar industry we have got e\celk'iit d.ita to wittk upon, lv conclusion 1 think we need to feel veiv thankful Unit we have a gentleman in our midst, a gentleman that has the welfare of New Zealand, and Waikato in particular at heait. lie i- no sti anger, he lias long buen in our nnd-l, one who m trusted, because he is not doing those things fiom '-elfi'-h motives. ]iut at the came time when benefiting the whole community he is also doing the same for himself. I only hope lie may see this scheme carried to a successful issue, as 1 think the precious fad if his is pioving to bo so. I also feel sure if this sugar .scheme gets a successful start something else will emanate from his fei tile biain. We know men of this stamp are very rave,2 and we ought to prize them. Wes^emany instancesjof what man one can do when he sticks to his object through good and evil report.— l am, to. PIIOGREbS. Cambridge, December 17th, 1884.