HAWKE’S DAY TOBACCO INDUSTRY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 34, 7 September 1916, Page 7

HAWKE’S DAY TOBACCO INDUSTRY.

A HUGE SUCCESS. SUPERIOR TO THE FOREIGN TOBACCO. We may well be permitted to draw oui readers’ attention to an event that has recently caused quite a stir in the smoker’s world, says a recent issue of the Hawke’s Bay Tribune. For the hrst time in history of New Zealand a tobacco has appeared on the market grown and manufactured in this country. At first glance this may appear of no great concern to the public of New Zealand, except perhaps in the smoker, but it means indeed a great deal, it means that an important indim-ry lias reached its iinai goal, the manufacturing stage. All doubts as to the litness of the New Zealand leaf for manufacturing purposes, have now been definitely removed. The manufactured article has made its appearance, has been tested, sampled, fully criticised, and has found favour with nearly all. That is complete success and promises well for the young industry which was started three years ago by the New Zealand Tobacco Co.

'This company has raised three crops in succession, partly under most unfavourable weather conditions, last season’s crop with practically no rain. J ho nine months of drought experienced in that year meant utter ruin to most field crops, while tobacco alone has stood the tost.

.No .blight, no pest, almost immune, what better encouragement is wanted by the farmer who wishes to venture upon this new industry, returning him £4O to £SO per acre without any outlay of money except his labour in cul-| tivating the soil and attending to the crop in the same way as he would have to do with an ordinary potato crop. !u spite of the successful growing of the leaf there wore sceptics who doubted whether such loaf could lie twined into the proper smoking article. The world is full of these sceptics. They first doubted that good tobacco could be grown in this country. then doubted whether u could be properly cured. Now they will have grudgingly to admit that New Zealand soil and climate are particularly adapted to producing a leaf, that in many respects is even superior to the imported article. The first consideration in determining the '.smoking qualities of tobacco is the proportion of nicotine in the leaf. Nicotine is a deadly poison, which, when absorbed by the system regularly and in large quantities will undermine even the most robust .constitution. Although the percentage if nicotine contained in a leaf docs not determine the flavour and aroma, it is certain that it influences the strength and the smoking quality. A high percentage invariably indicates , hcavyj s,M.:ong tobacco while the mild and aromatic qualities nearly always contain a small percentage ot nicotine. It so happens, while American smoking and chewing tobaccos contain as much at 4 and 5 per cent, of nicotine, our New Zealand grown leal hardly contains 1 i per cent, of that poison, what wonder then that it is io much milder and less harmful.

But let the smoker decide, he "ill soon find out which of the tobaccos will •suit him best, the heavy American tobacco, slowly undermining Ids health or the milder, more aromatic New Zealand leaf, which he can enjoy all day long with impunity and •osting him less. If the smoker decides in favour of the milder New Zealand grown tobacco—which we have no doubt he will—he will thereby not only benefit himself, but at the same time support a new home industry. What a boon it would be for New Zealand if we could make ourselves bidependent of foreign manufacturers. At present wo are annually importing into this country about 3,000.0001b5. of manufactured tobacco valued roughly at £500,000. This money all goes to the United States of America, as ;,hat country not only sends us her own manufactured goods, but also supplies the raw leaf for the tobacco which is manufactured in Groat Britain and re-exported to this country. Is it not folly that we should eontribute towards the upkeep of a huge foreign industry and fill the pockets of a big Trust while this country is 1 nit*' capable of growing and mamifae-| hiring all the leaf that it requires ; J j The successful operations of the N.Z. Tobacco Co. have established this fact now beyond a doubt, and if is to 1

be Imped that this success may act .is an impetus and induct' the enter- ;)!•!> i'ty; famier to embark upon this m-.ui'l; industry. It certainly proiris's him better ami safer returns i : tiler ilcld crop that the soil ami climate of New Zealand are capable of producing. THE FACTORY. We have had the privilege of being shown over the New Zealand Tobacco Co.’s Bonded Factory at Port Almriii. Jt is here where the raw leaf, grown on the company’s farm at Clive Grange, is turned into the manufactured article and packed into tiii s or pouches. Upon entering the substantial brick building you breathe at once a different air, there is such a pleasant sweet scent about; the whole atmosphere seem s to be satmated with it. This smell, as the manager explains, is peculiar to all tobacco factories, and is caused by the volatil ■ oils emanating from the leaf under operation. With the keenest interest you wahh tin' work of the operators in the various depart incut'*. Quite a number of oirl.; are busy unlying tobacco bundles jiml picking leaf by leaf, assorting and semiraiing them into different finalities suitable for various brands. These leaves are stemmed after they have

been brought into a high state of moisture by steam and then dried again in a huge revolving drying machine. In the plug-making department you notice a whole row ot powerful hydraulic presses capable ol exercising a pressure of 40001 b to the square inch. They al'e partly filled with elaborately finished plugs of all shades, from black to gold-brown, ready to go into the cutting machines, where they are cut into flakes and then packed into small tin boxes. There are other machines for cutting Bong tut Smoking Tobacco, Birds Eye and Shag, each capable of turning out at flic rate of KJOlbs. per hour. Von set* an ingenious grinding machine at work automatically sharpening the large tobacco knives used lor the cutting machines. Everything works smoothly and without a hitch. Another busy scene may be witnessed in the packing department whore girls are operating the packing machines which are used for packing the cut tobacco into pouches.

Quite a large department is devoted to the sweetening and flavouring of the tobacco and in connection therewith is a laboratory where analysis is made of the various grades of tobacco as to the percentage of nicotine, oils, gums, and fats. The tobacco leaf is exceedingly variable in its component elements. Its secrets are secrets of chemistry and bacteriology. It presents endless problems and constant study for their solution. Ihc manipulation diflcrs with each variety of grade and no two types or grades of tobacco will produce precisely the cjjijio results under the same treatment, Jt is therefore necessary to exercise the utmost care in blending [hi* different qualities and in treating them in such a way as to make them suitable.

Time is up! Greatly impressed with :;ii wo had scon, we left the works with the firm conviction that this now local industry Ins come to stay, that it will extend from Hawke’s Hay to every quarter of the Island and ig time conquer with its products the entire market of the Dominion.