BEET SVGAR INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10434, 5 May 1897, Page 5

BEET SVGAR INDUSTRY.

It is eaid that wherever it obtains a foothold the beet sugar industry grows and flourishes. Last year, in Russia, the area in beets aggregated 850,000 acres, yielding about 6,000,000 tons beets. Germany's sugar production continues to thrive, ahd the same may bo said of France. In fact, under the stimulus of increased bounties in Germany and France, the production of beet sugar advances by leaps and bounds, prices having declined in consequence, Aβ an outcome of the discussion on the sugar bounties, an international conference was announced to be held, at which France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, and Russia were to be represented, in order to study some means of putting an end to the present state of things, which in these countries burdens consumers with the bounties paid to tho manufacturer and refiner.

In Victoria tho beet sugar industry will Boon be an accomplished fact, the Maffra Company having accepted a German engineering firm's tender for the supply of machinery capable of treating 350 tons of roots per day. The Beet Sugar Act passed last session provided that for every £1 of capital paid Up by a company £2 would be advanced by the State, and as £5000 has been subscribed by the Maffra Company, it becomes entitled to apply for an advance of £10,000. When £10,000 is paid up £20,000 of Government money will be available, and so on until a maximum loan of £50,000 is obtained. Over £7000 having already been subscribed, the Treasurer has sanctioned payment of the first advanco of £10,000, and the company, he is intormed, has begun to vigorously prepare for the erection of the buildings and plant that will be required in the industry. Reports obtained from independent engineers have satisfied the Treasurer that the German machinery ordered by the company was of the beet available type, and could not at present be obtained in this colony. The money advanced will be expended in the purchase of building material and in paying a portion of the cost of the machinery. In order to secure the Government) from loss the company has mortgaged its uncalled capital, also the buildings and machinery, to the Treasurer.

Asked how the sugar beet experiments atTeiiterfield, New South Wales, were progressing, Mr. Walker enid thinga were going on satisfactorily. "The prospects of • sugar-mill being ereoted during the next twelve months." «said he, " makes the people very hopeful. The experimental plots are very promising. A gentleman who has just come from Europe says that at Tenterfield station is the finest he has ever seen. Photographs of it have been taken by Mr. C. A. Lee, M.L.A. The experiments seem to prove that Tenterfield is probably mpre euited to growing eugar beet than any other known part of the worldi the percentage of sugar being so mueh higher, and the roots much larger than obtains elsewhere. In Europe 2|lb is considered the proper root to produce the largest quantity of saccharine matter. At Tenterfield and 71b roots have yielded 18 percent, of sugar, while some UJlb roots have given over 25 per cent. In Europe 14 per cent, and IS per cent, roots are considered Very good." According to present prospects, Victoria will be the first in the field in the inauguration of the sugar beet industry in these Colonies.