Reluctant backing for sugar beet

Press, Issue 33842, 14 May 1975, Page 2

Reluctant backing for sugar beet

Support for an investigation into a South Island sugar beet industry was finally forthcoming from the Labour Party’s conference yesterday, reports Oliver Riddell.

But first Otago argued I that the industry should be based further south, and supporters of the Fijian sugar industry sharply criticised delegates for seeking to ruin sugar growers throughou the South Pacific. Mr N. Lambert, the Labour

candidate for the South Canterbury seat, said that a sugar beet industry was a big political issue in Mid and South Canterbury. “You will destroy the 5050 chance we have of winning this seat if you refect even the concept of urgent

i consideration of the fndus|try,” he said. New Zealand imported 40 per cent of its sugar from Australia, Mr Lambert said. He reminded delegates of the disadvantages New Zealand was under in N.A.F.T.A., and said that a South Island industry could replace this quantity of sugar from Australia.

The conference finally passed an amendment that “a sugar beet industry in the South Island be given urgent consideration and that the Government encourage it to be a co-operative enterprise.” But the original remit had called, as well, for “Government support” for the beet industry. Mr A. L. Srhoy (Ashburton) said he had reason to believe that the Government was not interested in a cooperative concern, and he found this surprising. “We are not going to stand for being treated over sugar beet the way business treats us over lucerne, where they decided what they want, when they want it, what they will pay the grower and when they will pay him,” fie said. But Mr M. D. J. Butler (Wellington Rubber Workers’ Union) said: “A beet industry in the South Island will do exactly to Fiji what we have been begging the E.E.C. and Britain not to do to us over butter.” Mr J. Shaw, of the South Pacific branch, said that a New Zealand sugar industry would lead to huge unemployment throughout the South Pacific. Then Otago had its say. Mrs G. Vine (Caversham) said eight years had been spent on research for a sugar beet industry in South or Central Otago, and that it was bv no means a foregone conclusion that Mid or South Canterbury would get one.