1 June, 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 487 
SUGAR PROSPECTS AT NERANG. 
‘WE are indebted to Captain W. J. Brown, of’ Nerang, for the following 
information concerning the operations of the Nerang River Sugar Company 
during the past season,.and the prospects of the district for the approaching 
sugar season :— 5 5 
In the season 1897 the company’s mill crushed 8,877 tons of cane, making 
787 tons of sugar and syrups, which realised the sum of £7,016 12s. 2d. The 
capacity of the mill is 180 tons crushing power in sixteen hours. ‘The average 
amount paid to farmers per ton of cane was 8s. Sid. The cost of cane 
. 
delivered at the mill was 9s. 10d. per ton. The average cost ot manufacture 
was £4 5s. per ton. 
The acreage under cane for the season now at hand is taken at an average 
of 700 acres of crushable cane, which at present is looking well, except in the 
very low ground, where the growth is short. Still, the estimated yield of cane 
on the river is expected to reach 18,500‘tons, from which probably 1,500 tons 
of sugar will be made. 
BEENLEIGH AND PIMPAMA. 
THE cane crops in these districts are looking remarkably well. Especially on 
the Albert River do the canefields look so well as to remind the visitor of 
the palmy days of twenty-eight years ago, when from the Logan to Nerang all 
the rich scrub lands were under cane, and almost every planter had his own 
little mill. If the frosts should keep off, the yield of sugar will probably be 
satisfactory, but this ean scarcely be hoped for in the case of cane planted on 
the low-lying lands. The mills on the Albert River are making every prepara- 
tion for the coming season, and will probably work night and day to get the 
crops off quickly. At the Pimpama, there 1s a splendid crop of cane on Mr. 
Elliott’s farm. Last year some of this was badly frosted, but at present it 
appears to be good for 20 and in some places 30 tons per acre. There are 
about 57 acres here under cane, and we understand that the crop has been sold 
standing to the Nerang Central Mill. The yield of cane is estimated at about 
1,000 tons. ; ; 
BUNDABERG. . DISTRICT. 
FArRYMEAD sugar plantations will start crushing about the beginning of the 
eurrent month, It is satisfactory to learn that the estimated output of sugar 
in the Bundaberg district is 38,000 tons, and we trust this quantity may be 
realised. 
News from Bundaberg is generally of a most encouraging description. 
The crops are looking well all over the district, and the absence of frost to date 
affords hope that this visitation is not likely to spoil the splendid prospects in 
view. Crushing operations will start at an early date, and, with the quantity 
of cane to take off, work will be pushed on rapidly. We notice by the local 
papers that complaints of the scarcity of labour are rife in many localities, 
islanders asking 15s. per week. White labour will be employed largely in the 
cutting of the cane. : 
In reference to the purchase of sugar during the coming season, the 
Colonial Sugar Refining-Company have issued a circular to manufacturers of 
raw sugars that they are prepared to pay £8 5s. per ton, and give a bonus on the 
same conditions as last year, provided the manufacturers of whites and yellows 
in Bundaberg and Maryborough only place 35,000 tons upon. the markets of 
Australasia, exporting the residue of their stocks to foreign markets. If these 
conditions be not complied with, the company will decline to purchase raw 
sugars from the sugar-growing centres. The manufacturers of white sugars 
had a meeting, at which they decided to agree to no limit in respect of stock 
placed upon the colonial markets. They were, however, willing tc export to 
foreign markets pro ratd, according to their total output and the surplus of 
production over consumption in Austvalia.—Mackay Sugar Journal. 
