THE SUGAR INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10406, 2 April 1897, Page 5

THE SUGAR INDUSTRY.

As the outcome of a meeting of the employees of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company's works, at Chelsea, held on Wednesday evening, to discuss matters pertaining to the" dismissal of certain of the employees owing to the decrease in the sugar output, a deputation appointed by the mooting yesterday, waited upon Mr. J. C. Firth at his office, Queen-street. Mr. Firth was one of the promoters of the company here, and for aome years a large shareholder, and being one who has taken a lively interest in the industry—though at present entirely independent of it—the deputation, no doubt, considered him the poison most suitable to represent their grievances to the Premier. It appears thai, owing to the increasing importation into the colony of bounty paid beet sugar from Germany, and France, the productions at the Chelsea works have seriously diminished—in fact, so much so that the Company has found it neceesary to dispense with a number of their employees, and it is feared that more will follow, or that the works might eventually be closed unless something can be done to place the local article an a footing with the imported. The deputation pointed out the many other ways the Colonial Sugar Company proved a direct benefit to the colony, by exporting coal and other commodities to Fiji, and suggested that the position of affairs should be brought under the notice of Mr. Seddon before he leaves for England, in order that he might, when conferring with the Hon. Joseph Chamberlain with reference to the encroachments by Germany on British trade generally, place this matter before that gentleman. They thought it would be possible to follow the attitude takon up by South Australia, Victoria, and Mew South Wales under similar circumstances, and place a duty on the imported sugar equivalent to the bounty, in order that the imported and local article might be placed on the same basis. Mr. Firth inquired as to the existing relations between the Colonial Sugar Company and the employees, and found that they were excellent in every respect, the deputation, on behalf of the employees, speaking most highly of their treatment ac the hands of the company. He (Mr. Firth) expressed himself as highly gratified to find the relations so good, and that the men were aware of the fact that the interests of capital and labour were identical —that the one could not be injured without damaging the other. He then acceded to their request), and will place tho matter bofore the Premier almost immediately. The deputation then withdrew.