Export Of Sugar

Restriction Discussed by Producers

The world sugar conference which recently met at Brussels ended without coming to an agreement The preliminary arrangement between sugar producers in Cuba and the Dutch East Indies appears to have been in sufficient to induce the European pro ducers to agree to a world-wide plan for restricting sugar exports.

The Brussels deadlock is stated to have been caused by the German pro ducers, who demanded an export quota more than twice as large as the other countries were prepared to allow them, and as it was considered impossible to bring the plan into operation without the support of the German producers, the conference terminated.

Phosphate of lime is the most import ant product of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. The mineral is mined at Ocean Island by the British Phosphate Com missioners and is exported at the aver age rate of 250,000 tons a year. Progress is being made with extensions to the plant and when these are completed the output will be increased to 400 000 tons a year.

It is estimated in the annual report i«L Papua that to the end of June 1929 over £1,000,000 must have been spent by the Commonwealth Govern ment and by private companies in thp search for commercial oil in the Terri tory. No success has yet resulted.