N.Z. TOBACCO

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1932, Page 8

N.Z. TOBACCO

GROWTH OF INDUSTRY

GROWING USE OK LOCAL LEA I

CHRISTCHURCH, April 20.

I Even 'since the days of Sir Walter Raleigh romance has been associated with tobacco, but there are probably few peivons who iealise the romantic growth of this industry in New Zea*l and during the past few years. As recently as eight years ago them unpractically no smoking tobacco mam; factored in New Zealand, but to-e.ny .at, least two-thirds of tne .total .amount that is continued is manufactured in tiie Dominion. That is only part of the story, however, for side by side with the manula.-t ire of imported leaf has been developed the tobacco growing industry mi the Dominion, in and the past five years the sale of those brands cunt an up New Zealand leaf lias increased more rapidly than that of other brands. These interesting facts wue impressed upon a number of member:-; of tile Canterbury .Mainifu -'u. ers’ Association who paid a visit vrvteiday afternoon to the Christchurch warehouse ol \\. D. and H. 0. Wills (N.Z.) Ltd. Thi> firm does not do any of its manufacturing in Christchurch, hut the party iiev-i th do s was greatly interested i.t what they learned of the develojim- ut "I Ms m dustry in Wellington and tlu « verincreasing support it is giving to New Zealand growers of tobacco. Explaining the extent to wln.li the firm gives its support to N, w Zealand producers and man t ; ' i.-• irer-. I.|i« .Manaoer, Mr A. T. C. Sellars, said that in addition to the use of aicallygrown leaf, practically all the nmt-v----inls u.-:ocI for packing eigamttes and tohnreo wore made ir lie D-rmni u

NEW ZEALAND MATERIALS. Producing a large tin of packers ol i cigarettes, fie said that only the tic plate was imported, everything else j being manufactured in New Z-afi ai .. I Tin- printed matter was 'produced in Dunedin and Christchurch, the cigarettes were made in the linn's up-to-date factory in F'ctone. and the t.ns Mere produced by an -Auckland fi’m With regard to a popular brand of cigarettes, lie remarked that. !' e packet was manufactured by a Christ liiureli firm, no fewer than eight- colour processes being required m tie 1 printing. Fully 80 per cent ol I'm public had no idea of the amount of labour that was entailed in the preparation of tile packets alone. Tile whole of the New Zealand leaf used by the firm was grown in tie valleys of the Nelson ami Motuek.i districts, said Mr Sellars., The leal was supplied under contract and these districts had been found to be ’he most -suitable in the Dominion for the production of high-grade leaf to meet the requirements of smokersFashions change in tobacco as in other things, but the factors that have been responsible for the greatest changes in the public demand have been incieased taxation and economic conditions. This was denion«tniLed by three graphs which Mr Sellars displayed.

CIGARETTE SALES. One of the graphs s ho\ved the inr rease in the amount of New Zealand labour used in the manufacture of tobacco and cigarettes. This showed a. very rapid growth over the past lew veais.- Another graph illustrated file changes that have taken place in the demand for loeallymnnufacLtired cigarettes. The sale* ol these cigarettes increased at a rapid rate from .March, 1929, to September, 1 9.90, when the peak consumption was reached. Since then, due to heavier taxation and the economic conditions, sales have declined. The third graph showed tin* increasing use made by the firm of New Zealand materials and the support it gave tii local manufacturers. Alter making an inspection of the warehouse and tile firm’s bonded store, the party was shown two interesting moving pictures illustrating the development of tobacco growing in the Nelson district and the work carried on at the firm’s large factor.' in Petone, where over 40(1 worker are employed.