SUGAR COMMISSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10450, 2 May 1912, Page 3

SUGAR COMMISSION.

THE KNOX INCIDENT. DECLINED SPEECH PUBLISHED. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. ' (Received May 2, 11.55 a.m.) SYDNEY, May 2. , Failing to got a hearing before the Sugar Commission Mr Knox published a portion of his statement in the Press dealing with tho Colonial Sugar Company's position in regard to the industry. It shows that during the period from April 1. 1907, to March 31, 1911, the company's profits from tho, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane refineries wero £591,785, or 35s 11 Jd net per ton of raw sugar treated. He claims that sugar refining is a wholly froetrade industry, and in support of this lie points out that in New Zealand there is no duty, sugar refining being frco from Customs supervision, while the prices charged only differ by 5s a ton from the rates ruling here, when £6 Customs duty is deducted. He rebuts the charge that the company has a monopoly of the sugar trad© in Australia, and declaims that only about the third of that produced in Australia is made in the company's mills. Regarding the White labour question, he holds that there cannot be the least hope of the industry being maintained otherwise than with sufficient protection to cover the extra cost of -White labour. He shows that raw sugar can be imported considerably, cheaper *than it can be produced by the company in Australia. After reference to tho good relations between the company and its employees, ho concludes, " Like every other employer in Australia what the company most wants is to be left alone so long as its actions are in conformity with the law."