SUGAR BEET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10417, 20 July 1895, Page 8

SUGAR BEET.

TO THE EDITOE.

Sir,—ln your locals this morning, I notice the low price of certain commodities in Brisbane, and; amongst others, sugar is noted ab Id perlb retail—a price, that would gladden the hearts of our thrifty housewives were our grocers able to vend at that figure. And why should it not be ? We have the solution pf the problem in the growth of the sugar beet.

Oar farmers have not done much to test the question, but ia New South Wales the first sugar beet crop, that was recently grown for exjjecirneutal purposes at Tenteriield, is reported to bave yielded an average of ,3J tons of sugar to the acre, which as id per lb equals a cash rafcurn of .£3l si, per aore; and there is in addition the pulp, which is very; valuable for cattle ffeea. Now if this average, or near it, can be reached in New Zsaland, and if we can grow 50 tons of tuniips to the acre (vide your report re Mr James Allen's land) — we can do better—then sagar baet would, sb a paying crop, far exceed cereals,, potatoes, or any o!<her crop we have been iv the way of growing here. Then, consider how much labour would be employed. Our gng&'r bill in not less t.hftn £250,000 per annum. This would be kept within our own borders, and circulated amongst our own people, in place of being paid to other countries. '

Bset can bs grown in regions where the cane and the imported kanaka don't flourish, and its value can ba gauged by the fact that nearly two-thirds of the world's sugar, supply is now obtained from this source.

Oca* Government ia their wisdom have offered a bonus of £50,00 C for the first 10,000 tons of bast sugar ; bat why do they not; go one better, and make a State monopoly of this, industry by installing factories in each of the four centres — i.e., Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunsditi—&nd so giving the whoie profit aud advantage to the community ? £250,000 would thoroughly equip the four factories, which money could be raised by a 'State issue of notes, repayable ia some fixed period—say 10 years.— I am. &a., Dunedin, Juhr 16

Saccharujt.