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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 118, 12 February 1919, Page 8

T. W. Kii-k, biological expert of tho Horticultural Branch of the Agricultural Department, was called to give evidence as to. tobacco-growing'in New Zealand. He said that quit.? good tobacco had been grown in many parts of New Zealand. A report to the Department on the subject had regarded tobacco exclusively as an article of petty culture forming an item in the programme of tho email mixed farming, which was the position it held in many parts of the United States of America. The person who made the report anticipated that tobacco cultivation in this country would be the work of the small settlers with, families, and would be carried on on email areas of one to three acres.

Asked what the general indications were in New Zealand as to the possibility of making tobacco-growing profitable, the witness said that • New Zealand could Brow the leaf, and a good leaf, too, but could not grow it for commercial profit, chiefly because of tho labour difficulty. The witness raised a point which he said he had discussed with the Education Department some time ago. "Supposing a man had «. family of children, and owned two or three acres of tobacco," he eaid, "it would bo necessary to lieei> the children away from the school a "good deal during tho season while the tobacco was growing. How would that'do?" Tho chairman: It would not <lo at all. We cannot recommend an industry that would Iteep the children away from school. If it is to be understood that tobacco-growing cannot be taken up without keeping tho children absolutely away , from school during a part of tho year it will hayo a vwy detrimental effect on the industry.

Tho last question Mr. Kirk was called upon to answer was one from the chairman, lvho .inquired: To your knowledge has a tobacco trust been responsible for the strangling of the young industry in Now Zealand?—"l can't state anything from my own knowledge." Jlr. Kirk was asked to put in later, if possible, some indication as to how the child labour difficulty was got over in the tobacco-growing industry in Australia.