THE SUGAR SHORTAGE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17016, 13 December 1920, Page 7

THE SUGAR SHORTAGE.

. TKUITGROWEES ANXIOUS. * Anxiety that fruit preserving might be licld up this season, because of a shortage of sugar, was expressed by Mr J. Longton, president of tho NewZealand Fruitgrowers' Federation, at a meeting of tho Canterbury Fruitgrowers' Association, held on Saturday night. Mr Longton said that bocauso of tho shortago of sugar last season the bottom fell out- of tho stono fruit market. Tho Federation had been .attempting to get supplies for this season, but so far had not met with much success. They had seen the Prime Minister, and the Board of Trade. The latter, however, could not be shifted. In order that the matter might be speedily seen to, the following letter had been sent to the Prime Minister: — "Sugar for Fruit Preserving:.—l am instructed to bring before you again this question, which very &cxiou3lv B0;cto the fruitgrowing industry as well as tho equally important cost of living position. Sugar was not available for domestic fruit preserving l last season, or in sufficient quantities for commercial fruit preserving-, _ and consequently great waste was experienced. Jam was not available aa food, and the shortage necessarily increased the cost of this and other foods. This season we have ag-ain seen the Board cf Trade on tho matter, and without any satisfactory results. We have airnin ureed that a certain quantity, of 6u-ar should be set asido during tho fruit season to be specially available for fruit preserving, and have proposed similar means for distribution to those referred to last Reason, which would protect this euga.r for the benefit of bona fide fruit preserving. M> Oamp, of tho 'Board of Trade, replied that any special channels for distribution would not b? looked upon with favour by the Board, as it waa desirable that sugar should- be ■ distributed by storekeepers in the usual way. I wish to point out the injustice to the public severally, and fruitgrowers in particular, of this practice. At the present time the cost and charres are as follows: —Su-ar is sold f.0.b., (Auckland, at £47 per ton. less 2$ per cent. The cost of freight to main porta is £1 4s, and the cost of wharfage, cartage and insurance, 12s. The cost per ton delivered in store at main ports is £48 l£s. The present retail price is 6*d per lb, which 'eouals £60 13>s 4d, leaving a margin for distribution of £11 17s 4d, which equal* ljd pet lb._ Prior tn I!H4 storekeepers were well satisfied to distribute sugar at id rvr lb, o- £4 per ton, and they are now allowed by the Board o! Trad** to charge £U 17s 4d. Thij is an item which affects all the public. The 'supply of su«rar for the year is ut f5,000 to 70,000 tons, and the cost of distributing this is allowed to be nearlv £600,000 more than before the war. Bvt this increased cost of distribution specially interfores with our fruit industry, and the svstem of distribution as proposed by the Boprd of Trade does not ensur- that eilffar will bo available at all lor the purpose, aa once sugar is in the hands of the_ usual retailer fheie is no practical control of its J ist*ib\jM.on. Tho Federation will -undertake to distribute rug&r for this purpose y cost not exceeding £4 12* 4d (the charge before the war) to tho public {or fruit preserving. I submit that this sorions position deserves at- i tention. ar,<J I respectfully i>ak that the m«t-! ter may be fully enqiii-e'l into, a.nd dealt with properly, eo that thi» season'® ( fruit may be taken care of and not wasted. Mr Longton added that under present conditions, sugar was being hoarded at tho expense of the whole fruit industry. He had no complaint against the Prime Minister himself, but against the Department.' The matter was so urgent that unless something was done at once another season jvould Jx) lost. It was decided that a letter should be sent to the Prime Minister stating that the Association was in full accord with the opinions expressed.