SUPPLY OF SUGAR

Southland Times, Issue 21771, 28 July 1932, Page 7

SUPPLY OF SUGAR

FREE DUTY ASKED. BEEKEEPERS’ REQUEST. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, July 27. The conference of the National Beekeepers’ Association of New Zealand opened to-day. Remits were carried requesting that sugar be supplied duty free when used for the feeding of bees in bad winter seasons, and also asking the Government to maintain the number and status of inspectors and to reinstate the part-time inspection system a.s soon as possible. PRINCIPLE APPROVED MINISTER’S STATEMENT. Wellington, July 27. Approval of the principle of granting a rebate of duty on Imports of sugar purchased by honey producers solely for the purpose of feeding it to bees was expressed by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon C. E. MacMillan), in reply to representations in this direction made to him by a deputation from the National Beekeepers’ Association. Mr E. W. Sage emphasized the vital necessity for bee-keepers to secure some concession for their supplies of sugar. Some producers obtained from 12 to 15 tons of sugar in a season for the maintenance of their bees. Mr W. Watson said it was very necessary in drought stricken areas of the South Island to feed sugar to the bees. Tire Government had helped the farmers by the free carriage of lime, by fertilizer subsidies and by carrying stock and feed during times of drought. The keepers were in the same position. The Minister said he sympathised with the request, but he did not know what the Minister of Customs and Finance thought about it. The principle had already been established by remission of petrol taxation and the principle was operating on butter box imports. It would be difficult to draw up regulations for the remission of duty on sugar, because it would be impossible to define what was used for the production of honey and what was used in other ways. It would be accepted that the principle was a sound one. Material brought into the country to aid production should be sold as cheaply as possible.

Mr MacMillan added that he would do his best to secure the rebate sought