CIGARETTES AND TOBACOO

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 48, 13 February 1945, Page 2

CIGARETTES AND TOBACOO

PROBLEM OF MEETING THE CONSUMER RATIONING SUGGESTED In Whakatane the shortage of tobacco was very noticeable over the recent holiday particularly to the visitor who generally finds in his home town no difficulty in meeting his. normal needs. Here by the middle of the week he is usually going without and just who is to blame for this state of affairs is the question many people are asking themselves today. Inquiries by a Beacon representative among Bay of Plenty retailers disclosed that those who control the issue of tobacco in New Zealand forward to retailers on the first and sixteenth of every month part of their requirements. It would appear that the scarcity of tobacco, both pipe and is not due to any shortnge j although imports have been curtailed. In fact the production of Dominion-grown tobacco is greater than ever as the following figures show, even though a proportion of it goes to the troops overseas. The areas under cultivation have steacliiy increased from 1938* when they amounted to 1807 acres ? and by 1942-13 the acrcagc of tobacco grown in New Zealand had exceeded that figure by 636 acres. It is. known that in the latter year contracts were signed in respect of 2968 acres for tobacco the discrepancy between this figure and that previously given is accounted for in part by the difference between the area actually planted and the area con tracted for s and in part by areas grown within boroughs. The total leaf purchased from powers in 1942, 43 amounted to It is believed that the quantity for the 1943-44 season has been even better.

Figures of. exports and imports are not given in the New Zealand Official Year Book for the years since 1941.

The present arrangement as far as the retailer and consumer is concerned is causing considerable inconvenience to both where stocks seem to be limited when on the lace of the figures given no such shortage would appear to be necessary. A number of people, intervie'wed considered that it would be fairer all round if there is really a shortage of materials or labour ? to institute a proper system of rationing. One retailer was emphatic in his disgust at the present arrangements. "I'm sick and tired of it," he said. "I spend most of my time turning people down and if a regular customer comes in a day or two late and finds I have had to cut his supply down I get criticised all oyer again.. It's high time some better method was adopted." Another tobacconist said he understood that the manpower authorities would not release more than a certain quota of male and female labour for work in the industry.