§ 80. Mr. R. MCNEILLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if the procedure adopted for the distribution of sugar for preserving fruit grown in private gardens is for the grower of the fruit to give an order for the amount of sugar required to the local dealer, whose business it is to forward it to a whole- 932 sale dealer, and that both these dealers, especially the wholesale dealer, hold up the order until a number of such orders have accumulated; that this procedure is causing unnecessary delay which, now that fruit is rapidly ripening, causes a danger that the sugar may be received too late for the purpose required by the grower; and if he will give directions for all such orders to be dealt with promptly, instead of by the procedure at present adopted?
Captain BATHURSTThe procedure is generally as indicated, except that definite dates have been fixed by which each stage shall be completed. No unnecessary delay is being occasioned, and the matter is being dealt with by the Sugar Commission as expeditiously as possible, having regard to the amount of labour involved. I may mention that no less than 750,000 applications for sugar for jam making have been made to the Sugar Commission.