KILLING THE GOOSE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 127, 1 June 1942, Page 4

KILLING THE GOOSE

I buy from two tobacconists, one in the city, the other in a suburb. The city shop tell me that since the increased duty came in force their sales of tobacco and cigarettes have dropped 60 per cent! The suburban shop state that their sales are now so small that they may have to close the tobacco side and rely on stationery and newspapers. I travel continuously by tram and frequently find myself the only smoker, sometimes (in the morning) two or three others, but not twenty or more as usually, hitherto. The Government will lose heavily in Customs duty, in the ensuing twelve months, instead of as they vainly expected, gaining a large additional sum. The N.Z. smoker (both sexes) love their pipes and cigarettes. b«t have evidently resolutely declined to be victimised further, since tobacco was already twice the price ; jf former times. Per contra by reducing the duty on tobacco and cigarettes, the consumption would have gone up by leaps and bounds. If one could buy cigarettes at 4id or 5d per ten, the public would only discontinue smoking whilst eating or sleeping ! AUDI ALTERAM PARTEM.