The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-06-21

, 1t is known that refined stocks in
distributors hand are not large and
in only very few instances represent
any large percentage Of anticipated re-
quirements for the next sixty days. The
invisible supply represented in this
case by sugar in retailers hands and in
consumers households, while not def
nitely known, is unquestiOnably small.
Daring the past five months close to
1,2B5,OO0 long tons Of sugar have beer
melted; representing about 100000
, long tons in terms of refined. This
has practically all passed into chan
! nels Of consumption and has been fully
absorbed as a consequence of the strin-
Igcncy that existed during the latter
months of 1917 and the early part of
his year.
, Consumption Figures
Figures issued by the international
sugar committee indicate that the per
capita consumption for the first three
months of the year amounted to a lit.
tie under seven pounds per month an
required refined supplies amounting to
973,7 tons, or little over 1926, 900
tons per month.
AS consumption during June, July
and August will naturally be higher
| than during the winter months of Jan,
uary, February and March it is ap,
parent that if a close balance is to be
maintained between the supply and
the expected demand, the monthly re
ceipts of raws during the next three
months should be over the 100000 ton
mark for the entire country. AS this
does not now seem possible, with the
tonnage Of sugar carriers steady de
clining, it would Indicate that. while
this critical period may be satisfactor-
lily spanned it can be done only by the
narrOwest of margins
While there is no occasion at this
time for alarm as to the sugar supply,
it is regarded in well informed quar-
tiers as imperative that the food al
ministratiOn should exert every infu
cnre to conserve sugar wherever pos
sible and to cut its use in certain
manufacturing lines below present lin
itations. Once past the peak of the
demand in the next three months, there
should not be any great difficulty in
providing adequate supplies to meet
current needs until the end OF the
year.
Conditions Summed UP
Conditions may be summed up as
follows: The monthly volume of ship
ments Of raw sugar. has reached its
maximum for this year and will decline
from now on; during the coming three
months demand probably will exceed
supply, the difference between the two
having to be met by voluntary or reg
ulated conservation in the part of
household consumers and manufactur-
ers; unless Withdrawals of shipping are
heavier than are now anticipated, a
sufficient supply will be available to
meet the reduced demands of the coun.
try during the latter part of the year.
Shipping facilities will continue to reg
ulate the supply, and if the careful
conservation advocated by Mr.. Hoover
is Practised, it will be possible to get
through the year with no great hard
ship being felt by the consuming pub
lie.
Aside from the question Of ships,
another factor that may affect the sup
ply Of sugar available to the Ameri-
can public is the probable necessity OF
this country furnishing the Allies and
certain neutral nations with some re-
fined sugar. Both France and Great
Britain presumably win need assist
ance in the shape of sugar supplies
from US before the end of the year.
The total amount Of sugar that win be
required for export to meet this de-
mand will not reach the amount ex-
ported in 1915 or in 1917, but it will
he enough to become factor to be
taken into consideration by the trade
and the American people