SUGAR 153 



to adult age was greater than in the southern portion 

 of Australia, and, further, that the most prevalent cases 

 of tropical complaints were preventible. The industry 

 may now fairly be said to be on its feet, provided no 

 further adverse legislative interference takes place. The 

 average price paid to growers of cane in Queensland may 

 be stated as 235. per ton, and the value of the industry 

 to the State last year may be summarized as under : 



Cane growers received 235. per ton on 2,065,144 tons of cane .2,374,915 



Raw sugar produced 241,496 tons at 16 per ton ... ... 3,863,936 



Refined sugar made from above, say 227,000 tons at 22 ... 4,994,000 



Cane cutters paid 53. per ton on 2,065,144 tons of cane ... 516,286 



Field labour paid ... ... ... ... ... 500,000 



There are now fifty-one sugar mills and two refineries 

 in Queensland, and it is estimated that 406,936 was paid 

 in 1912 to the 4,282 hands employed therein. The amount 

 invested in the industry is estimated at between 7,000,000 

 and 8,000,000, made up as under: 



Machinery, premises, etc. ... .. ... 2,462,266 



Farms, etc. ... ... ... ... 5,oco,ooo 



The Government of Queensland have naturally always 

 taken a warm interest in its sugar industry, and they 

 have at different times advanced 500,000. This was 

 used in the building of central mills of a co-operative 

 character, thirteen of these being erected. Four of these 

 are run directly by the Government. Of the remainder, 

 four have paid their entire liabilities to the State and 

 manage their own affairs, and the balance, while not clear, 

 have paid their interest and redemptions to date. 



Two fine up-to-date mills are to be erected in North 

 Queensland by the State during the next three years, 

 each to be capable of manufacturing upwards of 10,000 

 tons of sugar. Six of the fifty-one mills are owned by 

 the Colonial Sugar Refinery Company, a wealthy cor- 

 poration having vast interests in Australia and Fiji; the 

 remaining mills are owned by private companies and 

 financial institutions. The future of the sugar industry 

 in Queensland can, therefore, be said to be a promising 

 one, offering ample scope for emigrants. 



The Government some thirteen years ago also formed 

 a Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations in order to 



