JAM v. PULP.

Evening Star, Issue 7647, 25 June 1888, Page 4

JAM v. PULP.

TO THE EDITOK. Sat, —As I have received a copy of your paper of loth inst., containing a letter by Mr John H. Gay, manager Peacock and Co., which contains a number of statements that arc not facts, and statements that are absolutely untrue, 1 hope you will allow me a short space to reply to him. I never informed Sir J. Vogel, through Mr Levestam or anyone else, that pulp was adulterated; that it contained matter injurious to the public health ; and that it was largely composed of pumpkins, rotten figs, etc. I never called pulp or fruit preserved in sulphuric acid a vile compound. With thirty-three hands using pulp, I could make 4,800 tins of jam per day. This includes tin-making, labelling, and packing. As there are, allowing for holidays, 300 working days in the year, this gives an annual output of 1,440,0001b (one pound tins), or 24,000 cases, each sdoz. This, I think, is more than is used in New Zealand, and ad Dunedin makers do not supply more than half the trade of New Zealand, I do not see how they can employ 110 hands. I could make, with 110 hands, about 70,000 or 80,000 cases of jam a year. This would not only supply New Zealand, but Victoria as well.

Now, a few words about Mr Gay's statement that the Stout-Vogel Tariff would have put LI, 120 in my pocket, and I have done.

At the time the Stout-Vogel Tariff was brought down I had not, a fortnight before, imported sixty tons of pulp, but thirty-seven tons ; but suppose I had had sixty tons of pulp the 2d duty would not have put LI, 120 in my pocket unless I had advaaced the price of jam Is 2d per dozen pounds. Had I done so merchants could have imported Tasmanian jam, and undersold me by at least Is per dozen. So you see that Mr Gay's statement that I would have made LI, 120 by last Tariff is all nonsense, and he must know it. I found that pulp did not make as good jam as freßh fruit, so I made it up into a cheap jam, and sold it at a loss to get rid of it,—l am, etc., S. Kirkpatrick. Nelson jam factory. Nelson, June 21.