NO SUGAR AVAILABLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17362, 8 January 1920, Page 6

NO SUGAR AVAILABLE.

PLIGHT OF ORCHARDISTS. FRUIT CROPS BEING WASTED. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE SOUGHT [BI TELEGRAPH—OWX CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHUECH, Wednesday. The matter of the sugar shortage as it affected the farmer growers of the Dominion, was discussed at the meeting of the Nortn Canterbury Farmers' Union. The chairman said the Canterbury orchardists had lost most of their crop last year, and now, when a good year had come, they were being penalised through the sugar shortage, for no sugar meant no jam. Some industries which used sugar were fully stocked up with supplies, so that a cessation in manufacture wou.d not affect the supply for the market. Sugar for jam-making night be secured by diverting supplies rom those indus'.ries. He suggested that that aspect of the matter be referred to the Board of Trade and the Prime Minister. Messrs. R. Evans and W. T. Liil referred to the professional gardeners, who were heavy losers over their small fruit, because of the shortage of sugar. Tons and tons of black currants, said Mr. Lili, wocid never be picked this year. Comment was made on the action of Auckland waterside workers in declaring 5000 tons of raw sugar " blaok," and refusing to unload it. so that it had .o be taken back to Sydney. It was decided to approach the B"ard of Trade and the Prime Minister on tho matter.