The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-03-17
II II e
WEDNESDAY March 18th
THE QUEENSLAND SUGAR IND UsrRY

The labor trouble is far greater in
Queensland than in this country, a
Royal Commission having decided that
the bulk of South Sea Islanders on PLAN
tations should be returned to their
own homes A Court of Compensation
has been created, and the planters are
proving the value of the services of these
men, and claiming the gross estimate as
the amount to be awarded by the Court.
The value the planters put upon their
Kana1a labor and the wages paid men
under contract are SO disproportioned as
to challenge either the honesty or fair
ness of the planter, or both. Anyhow,
the policy of justice and humanity
adopted by the Queensland Government
under pressure of public opinion at home
and abroad, will cost the country dear.
B. d. Morehead & Co., in their annual
report of the Queensland sugar industry,
printed in the Mackay STANDARD"
state that the condition is far more
cheering than was anticipated at the
commencement of the season. Despite
the labor difficulty, drouth, and the I'M
certainty regarding the future, the sea-
son of 1885 on the whole proved ex-
ceptionally good. Messrs. Morehead &
Co. say:
In general, the prospects for the coming
season are hopeful. Prices of sugar are
not high but there has been an apprecia-
bic rise in the market, although by no
means as great as was anticipated by some
L afefr 6IffnFnnpp
between this and last years prices may
probably be represented by the sum of 9z
l$1O) per ton, and this, although an I'M
proYement, when the disastrously low
prices of 1884 are taken into consideration,
IS not very great. The low prices ruling
have however, not been an unmixed evil ;
many of the foreign sugar manufacturers
having found the business too Improbable
to continue. The probable yield OF sugar
for last year may be roughly estimated at
something over $4,000 tons, but this eStl-
mate does not indicate exactly the amount
of sugar which might have been produced
inasmuch as many of the mills have
been compelled to cease crushing owing
to the rains, notwithstanding that cane was
living ready. The general quality OF the
sugar produced has been super-excelLen
ali through the colony, and the improve
lnent is due to more care in the cultivation
of the cane, and to the adoption OF sulphur
processes in Qualification. The general are;
under cane cultivation IS, ON the whole
probably less than last season, Tor although
in n few districts plantations have been en-
Iaroed. there has been 8 considerable
fiininution of area in others, more espe
cially in the Burdekin district and TIT
southern portion of the colony. The sea
son also has III many instances, from IL
very excellence, proved unfavorable t
many of the smaller cane-planterS VINO d
not possess mills of their own, for the larg
mill owners having as much cane as the.
can crush, decline to purchase that OF IN
I'll ,,Ia awppnf at nnnrOfltaDlV Ion
rates.
The Queensland Government has
scheme under way which must mater
ally aid in developing the sugar industry
by providing mill facilities for small cul
tiyators. 1t is known as the Central Mil
scheme. The measure contemplates ad
yances by the Government to, planter
on the security of their plantations, /
aid of the erection of mills in central dis
tricts. where those among them who ma
have no mills of their own can get the
cane crushed at fixed prices. The Coy
eminent originally proposed to appl
9IO0, 900 ($5OO, OO0) for this purpose, br
the sum was subsequently reduced
100000 ($25O, 000). The money will
all probability be spent in and north {
Mackay, and an agent has been al
pointed to visit and report OF the mos
suitable sites for mills. By this IA
sighted policy the sugar industry {
Queensland will be built up on fir
basis, because the appropriation OF $3.50
600 for the construction of crushing mil
will be largely supplemented if the e1
pertinent proves successful. Queens
land is one of the most heavily blu
dened colonies of the Australian group b
public debt, but it is progressing stea(
ilv through the use of borrowed none!