cheap Cigarette Tobacco

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1922, Page 4

cheap Cigarette Tobacco

CONSIGNMENTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA. IHTV TO 15 H INT RFASKD. (Lyttelton Times). Until quite recently, so a local tobacconist stated yesterday, no cigarette tobacco was imported from South Africa, the main importations in that line from that country being the .smoking : tobacco which differed from the ordinary brands in possessing a churacteiistic taste no unlike that of the New Zealand-grown tobacco. Within the p'st few weeks, however, consignments of South African cigarette tobacco have been coming into the Dominion, and by virtue of tile reciprocal treaty with the Union that cigarette tobacco was liable to a duty of only 2s Gd per lb, as against 10s imposed oil importations from other countries. In consequence the tobacco could be retailed at not more than Is an ounce. ■; against Is 3d charged for other brands, and as the South African cigarette tobacco was well up to I the standard of bettor known brands, and did rot have the peculiar flavour of the smoking variety, and as, moreover .the production of that South African cigarette tobacco was independent cf the American or British trusts, it was thought that the opportunity had arrived when some .substantial and permanent relief in the matter of price radii; I ion might he afforded those smokers who prefer to make up their civil cigarettes Representations, however. wi re made to the Government, presumably on behalf of the big trusts, - and the result was that an order-: nCountil was issued a few days ago increasing the duty on the South African cigarette tobacco from 2s 6d to 10s thus over-riding the preference granted b v the Reciprocal Treaty. With that increase in duty the retail price would have to advance to the Is 3d, hut it I was understood that those tohaecon- , isU who bought stocks when the duty j was only 2s Gd, would sell at Is an ounce until those stocks were exhausted. A short period of relief was available, for the 10s duty would not operate until August Ist. ■-