TOBACCO-GROWING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 72, 7 January 1936, Page 6

TOBACCO-GROWING.

INDUSTRY AT NEW BRIGHTON. DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS. (Special to the "Guardian.") CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. When the Disabled Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment League waited on the Minister for Employment (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong), and the Minister for Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), recently and asked for assistance in its efforts to establish, tobacco-growing at New Brighton, the Ministers expressed a desire to see the league's farm for fhemselves. They visited it yesterday when the league asked for £2OO from the Unemployment Board's funds to assist it in obtaining plant and building an irrigation system and for expert supervision by a Government officer in harvest time. "I do not think the Unemployment Board will see the whole thing go bung for £200," Mr Armstrong told members of the league after the inspection, and Mr Sullivan said he would do his best to obtain guadance and assistance for them. Large Acreage Available. The Ministers were conducted over the farm by the manager (Mr F. J. Bromley), wlio said that if the league could prove that tobacco-growing at New Brighton could be successful, the way would be cleared for 90 square miles of similar country in the neighbourhood to be put under cultivation. The league had been working its farm for three years now, and had not yet had a successful season. One reason for this was that there was no irrigation. Already many plants had been lost this season—the hot weather of the last few weeks had killed them. But there were two wells nearby, and all the league needed was to get the water on to the land. This could be done for £IOO. Leaf from the farm had actually been harvested in previous seasons, but the kiln in which it was dried was a roughly-built one and did not do the Avork properly. Also, the only knowledge the workers had was gleaned from books, and they had to interpret it the best way they could. If £2OO were granted from the Unemployment Board's funds, the land could be irrigated and suitable plant could be purchased. The league knew the land was good for tobacco-growing, since an expert had said so in a report he had prepared for it, but the farm lacked the capital necessary to make it successful. Industry Worth Developing. After inspecting the farm Mr Armstrong said he did not think tobaccogrowing at New Brighton could ever develop into a very big industry, since farms in other places in Now Zealand were working at about half their production capacity and producing all that could be sold in the Dominion.

"The production of tobacco will have to be licensed in New Zealand, as it is in Australia, and other places," Mr Armstrong said. He added, however, that the establishment of industries was important, because it would provide the way for people of all classes to get back into employment, and he would be surprised if the Unemployment Board did not make a grant. Mr Sullvan said he thought Mr Armstrong realised, as the whole Cabinet did, the need for new and extensive industries, the establishment of which would be the guiding factor in. nearly all the Government's activities. The tobacco industry was one worth developing. He had already given instructions for the tobacco committee to be formed.