Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1896. BEET-ROOT SUGAR.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5421, 28 August 1896, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1896. BEET-ROOT SUGAR.

A PEW days ago our Enst Coast correspondent reported that sugar beetroot bad been successfully grown at Flat Point, and urged its cultivation as ft local industry, as we possess in this district an unlimited area of ground capable of producing it in perfection. Twenty years ago this question was exhaustively dealt with by Sir Julius Vogel, and information on all points connected with the growth and manufacture of sugar-beet was embodied in a parliamentary report. Long before t-lio period wo refer to sugar-beet bad been successfully grown in tbis Colony, although there was somo question as to whether the local product contained a sulbcient percentage of saccharine matter for practical purposes. The main difficulty in the road of establishing the sugar-beet industry in this Colony seems to be the high price of labour and the cost of plant and machinery. In France where beet is extensively cultivated the low price of labour stimulatesproduction, and in America where wages are much higher this advantage is to a great extent balanced by the superior laboursaving machinery of the States. With regard to labour the bulk of it required is not skilled, as operations ■ are of ft simple mechanical nature, such as the transportation and washing of the beets, pressing them and washing and darning sacks. The cost of- labour generally is about equal to the cost of the raw material. The first outlay for the establishment of machinery and buildings, etc,, say for theproduceofsooacres of gt'Oiiml, equal to making 4,200,0001bs of raw, sugar, is rather heavy, being summed up at £13;157, It is very doubtful whether beet sugar can be profitably grown in New Zealand, unless n high import duty were placed on cone sugar, and no Government is likely to do this, The industry would require to be fostered and nursed to a considerable extent if it were to bo established. Beet sugar could, under any circumstances, be more profitably produced ; in Europe, the probable difference ; as calculated by Sir Julius Yogel i amounting to from £7 to £8 per ton. We fear that the practical difficulties lin the way of producing beet sugar in a, district like this, although the soil may be eminently fitted for growing the raw material, are insurmountable. . SWINGING AT THE YARD ARM. The Hon. John McKenzio lias'threat- ; ened the Dank of New Zealand with liquidation! This rather reminds < us of an old story we used to read many years ago of a pirate captain who, when be felt that he was in danger of losing his ship, stationed his first officers with a loaded pistol pointed at the powdeiMnogazine so that lie and his ciew could avoid the < alternative of swinging at the yard arm by blowing the vessel to pieces. Apparently the Premier has detached his colleague, the Hon, , John, for a pleasing duty of this i kind. However, there is more bark than bite about the Hon. John, and if he and his chief were only as safe as the Bank they would do. Iheir prospect of swinging at the yard firm at the coming general election is pretty well assured, and they are making it still more certain by threats like the one indulged in on Wednesday last.