COLONIAL SUGAR CO.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11340, 2 May 1912, Page 5

COLONIAL SUGAR CO.

DEFENDED BY THE CHAIRMAN.

MONOPOLY DENIED.

Press Association—Elictric Tele-jraph—Copyright, Received Thursday, at 12.5 p.m. ~.:,< SYDNEY, Thursday. . Failing to get a hearing before the Sugar Commission, Mr Knox, chairman of tiie Colonial Company, published a statement in the press, covering a page and dealing with tho Colonial Sugar Company's position, with regard to tiie industry. He shows that during the period from April Ist, 1907, to March 31st, 1911, the Company's profits from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane refiners was £591,785, or £15 lis net per ton on raw sugar treated. He claims that sugar refining is wholly a freetrade industry, and in support of this points out that in New Zealand there is no duty ou sugar refining, -which is free from Customs supervision, while the prices charged only differ by 5s a ton from the rates ruling here, when £0 Customs duty is deducted Ho rebuts the charge that the Company has a monopoly of the sugar trade m Australia, and declares that only about one-third of tho quantity produced in Australia is mado at tho Company's mills. Regarding tho whito labour question, he holds that thorp cannot be tho least hope that the industry can bo maintained otherwise than with sufficient protection to cover the extra cost of white labour. The statement shows that raw sugar can be imported considerably cheaper than it is produced by tho Company in Australia. After reference to the good relations between tho Company and its employes, Mr Knox concludes: '' Like every other employer in Australia, what tiie Company most wants is to be left alone, so long as its actions are in conformity with law."