§ The main increase in Customs, apart from coal, which shows £180,000, is under the head of sugar, which has exceeded the estimate by £465,000. A considerable decline in the yield of the sugar duty was anticipated in view of the short crop of 1904–5 and a consequent rise in prices; but in the sugar 281 world it is always the unexpected that happens, and the uncertain conditions of the industry from climatic and other causes are unfortunately made still more uncertain by artificial conventions, and, I must add, by organised speculation. The world's production, which in 1904–5 was 9,302,000 tons, rose in 1905–6 to 11,834,000 tons, the speculation to keep up the value broke up in July, and the price of 88 per cent. German beet, which at the end of December, 1904, was 14s. 5d. per cwt., fell at the end of December, 1905, to 8s. 1½d. per cwt. The increase of the crop was beyond all previous records. The result, I am glad to say, has been a steady increase in consumption at home, and the yield of the duty shows an actual increase over 1904–5.