AN IMPORTANT ENTERPRISE FOR AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6289, 13 January 1882, Page 5

AN IMPORTANT ENTERPRISE FOR AUCKLAND.

» We learn that arrangements have been made for the commencement of an enterprise which will result in large commercial advantages to Auckland. Mr. Knox, of Sydney, who left by the Hero, before his departure purchased IGO acres near Kauri Point, having deep water frontage to the harbour, paying for the land, we arc informal, about i'sooo. The object we anticipate, is to erect a large sugar refinery in connection with plantations at Fiji, to bring the raw sugar here, where it will be refined in different forms for the wholecolony. A very large amount of money will have to be expended on plant and buildings, probably not. less than £200,000, aud employment will be afforded to a considerable number of persons. Such an establishment will inevitably give a great impetus to our shipping trade, as vessels will have to bring the raw sugar here, and the refined sugar will have to be distributed over the colony. Mr. Knox is one of the directors of the Sydney Sugar Refinery, and there is no doubt the enterprise will be gone j into with energy. Those who have seen the large sugar refineries in the home country j cannot fail to appreciate the importance of j the step that has been revolved upon. At the present time a large quantity of sugar is imported into the colony, compared to the population. The latest returns at hand, those for ISSO, show that in that year £22,559 worth of raw sugar was imported, and £555,17!) worth of refined sugar, besides ■ confectionery to the value of £7951, and boiled sugar to the value of £9301, not counting many of the other forms in which sugar is used. The establishment of this industry i will practically control the eugar trade of the colony, anil centralise that trade on the . banks of the Waitemata. Years ago we , ur<'ed the establishment of this industry here, but local capitalists hesitated, and now a stran,er comes forward and rills the vacancy. All must wish Mr. Knox aud his co-workers a full measure of success.