TOBACCO GROWING.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1928, Page 4

TOBACCO GROWING.

POSSIBILITIES IN N.Z. AUCKLAND. Jim. IG. Tf Now Zealand can produce the right kind of tobacco leaf, there is a very favourable market for the product in England, according to Mr G. Pottinger, an expert on the technical side of the 'industry, who arrived from Sydney by the Niagara. For the past three years Mr Pottinger has acted in an advisory capacity to !'• British Cigarette Company, with headquarters at Shanghai, and during an extended tour of the Dominion will make an independent investigation of the possibilities of the industry in this country.

Mr Pottinger said that some time ago he experimented in London with Nyassalaud leaf, with wonderful results. After that he spent many months in French Tndo-China teaching the French how to manufacture Virginian tobacco. As the tobacco-growing area of Nyassalaud came iiito prominence after the war and the leaf produced there was regarded with great favour l>v English manufacturers, many ex-< ■dicers had taken tip plantations, and the majority of them were doing very well.

“The possibilities for tobacco-grow-ing are very great. - ’ Mr Pottinger stated. “Great facto.rs are the price at which the leaf can be produced and the grade of tobacco. Great Britain has introduced a special tariff for all tobacco grown in the Dominions, nliich allows it to be imported about -Is a pound cheaper than the American product. This, of course. i ; to encourage inter-Empire t-