The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9,1920. THE SUGAR BEET.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXXI, Issue 69, 9 October 1920, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9,1920. THE SUGAR BEET.

Tli e world's beet-sugar industry was launch d in the b?gi:ming of the n i' etee ith c tury, and has made such rapid and sound progress s:ric ! then that just prior to the 'Great W«r it wa«g -res' ousible, umder whits labor, ft r approxinrt ly half the world's production of sugar, and for a remarkable i crease in the production of cereals hud in the rearing of stock wherever the industry was established. Its greatest strongh Id has been, and. still is, in Europe. It was introduced to America with soma trepidation, because of the competition that had to b? met from th e many adjacent cheap-labor aaine-sugar areas, and of the necessity for meeting higher costy of material, nud the employment of a more independent and costly class of labor,. In spite of th se difficulties the industry ha s developed there to such;an extent that it now produces about 75 per cent, of the sugar grown in the United States, and itseconomic and decentralising value has become so evident that the Government is energetically using every reasonable menus to encourage its expansion. Its value to America, where labor and other conditions are very similar to those in Australasia, i s probably, the best index of what' it mght become in New Zealand 'f properly developed. In Queensl nd i"

1917-18 there was a surplus of sugar, and some anxiety was expressed as to how it was to be got rid of. but in.'ide of twelve months the expected surplus had resolved itself into a shortage, and Australia was forced to import sugar, and it appears likely that she will have to continue doing so for some year s to come. The worlds to-day i s short of sugar to .the extent of three million tons a year, with a growing demand, equal to about 1U per cent, per annum, as people are coming to realise that sugar, once a costly luxury, is now undoubtedly a cheap and most effective energy-pro-ducing food. The encouragement of such country industries as the beetsugar business has great economic advantages, as it rapidly intensifies all other production, and adds to the wealth and comfort of producer, laborer and consumer; ' and thereiore the beet-sugar industry with its favorable white-labour conditions, seems very worthy of consideration in the direction of promoting closer settlement and intensive farming.