The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE, SATURDAY. DECEMBER 22, 1883 TOBACCO-GROWING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 25, 22 December 1883, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE, SATURDAY. DECEMBER 22, 1883 TOBACCO-GROWING.

In a district like this, in which the soil and climate are both good, facilities are afforded for the remunerative cultivation of semi-tropical fruits and plants ; but there are few staples that could, we think, be grown to such advantage in Poverty Bay as tobacco. For years past the Maoris in this district have grown tobacco of excellent quality, which only required a good market to make their labors very remunerative, and now we find that a great inducement is held out for the increased propagation of the plant by the establishment in the Auckland district of two tobacco-manufacturing companies. Each of the Companies—the New Zealand Tobacco Growing and Manufacturing Company, and the Auckland Tobacco Growing and Manufacturing Company—has been launched under most favorable auspices, with every prospect of future success, and we give the fol- j

lowing report of the Colonial Industries Commission as a etimulent to the land-holders of this extensive district

“ The most important agricultural industry which has been brought under the notice of the Commission is undoubtedly the cultivation of tobacco for manufacturing purposes. The evidence established the fact that any quantity of tobacco, equal in quality to the finest American, can be grown in New Zealand, and that there is no reason why th** whole of the tobacco consumed in the Colony should not ultimately be produced and manufactured in it. This industry would afford profitable employment to cottage farmers, also to women and children who would be engaged in manufacturing, and would utilise large tracts of land, which at present are either waste or yielding but little, &o. “ The Commission are assured that, after five or six years’ cultivation and manufacture, tobacco could be produced in Neo Zealand, equal in quality to any that is now imported, and that, the industry once established, the lame amount of re .enue that is now raised by the Customs duty on imported tobacco could be raised by means of stamps on locally-produced tobacco.” f

Then, again, we find that the final report of the Colonial IndustrieH and Tariff Commission, laid before the House of Representatives on the sth September, 1881, on the culture and manufacturee of tobacco, was as follows :—

“ That in order to encourage the growth and manufacture of Tobacco in New Zealand, your Committee recommend that the duty on tobacco grown within the Colony should be reduced to Is. per lb. for a period of not less than five years.” And in accordance with such recommendation, the following section was inserted into an Act of the year 1881, entitled “ An Act to Alter the Duties of Customs and Excise — “ In lieu of the bonus specified in section 12 of the “ Tobacco Act, 1879,” the following provisions shall take effect on and after the passing of this Act, namely : —The duty on Tobacco manufactured in the Colony shall be One Shilling per Pound, and this rate of duty shall remain in force until the 31st day of December, 1886.”

It will thus be seen that, as the present duty on imported tobacco is 3s. 6d. per lb., and on cigars 65., great inducements are offered for the cultivation of the plant in the northern parts of this Colony ; and there is no doubt that in this district fully 2 tons of leal: could be obtained from 3 acres of land. This calculation is not, we think, at all up to the return that might be expected from some of the rich land in this district, aud as the “ New Zealand Tobacco Growing and Manufacturing Co., Limited," is offering from sd. to Is. 6d. per lb., for the leaf, the laudowners of this district have —if they possess any energy and speculative spirit—a bright future before them. Certainly, no great loss eould be experienced by each farmer setting apart a few acres of land for tobacco growing, and we hope that no time will be lust by the laud-holders of this district in turning their attention to the production of an article of export for which they would find a " cash market," after having had the pleasure of gathering a really profitable crop.