DISTRIBUTION OF TOBACCO

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24914, 29 June 1946, Page 6

DISTRIBUTION OF TOBACCO

CHRISTCHURCH PETITION TO PARLIAMENT

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) ' WELLINGTON, June 28 A request to the House of Rept-esen-tatives to take steps to effect more equitable distribution of tobacco sup?H nd tO . ca }! se a public inquiry to be held as to the amount of tobacco manufactured in New Zealand the amount made available to the people of New Zealand, the amount imported, and the amount exported, is made in a petition presented to the House this S ng , H - McCombs, on behaif of Mr F W. G. Sibley and 976 others, of Christchurch. The petitioners said there was no less tobacco being manufactured now than before the war and there was no shortage of imported or New Zealandgrown leaf. Manufacturers were producing more than the needs of the smokers of New Zealand. One factory alone had manufactured at least 10 tons of tobacco and 4.000.000 cigarettes a day. The petition claimed that manufactured tobacco and cigarettes were being exported through UNRRA and that they were being made available to a former enemy country—-Germany, while the people of New Zealand were being starved for tobacco. It was alleged that pressure groups were being favoured by the Ministry of Supply, while rural groups, such as farm workers, gardeners, orchard workers, and others, who started work early in the morning, were unable to get supplies. Manufacture tobacco and cigarettes were being stored in bond until the pleasure of th° Minis*ry of Supply.