"TUPEKA."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 174, 25 July 1928, Page 6

"TUPEKA."

The Rotorua proposal to start tobacco growing on a considerable scale on Mokoia Island holds promise of permanent success. The Avawa returned soldiers have initiated the idea, and if they set to work in a scientific way there ought to be good money in the venture. Some parts of New Zealand are very suitable for production of a high-grade quality of tobacco —for example, certain districts of North Auckland, the Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and Nelson. Down in Nelson the extent of land devoted to tobacco cultivation is being increased, and, indeed, some sanguine people in that district look to the time when it shall be called the Virginia of New Zealand. But the Auckland country in its most favoured parts should do even better with a tobacco crop. A market is said to be assured, provided growers produce a satisfactory article. And beautiful Mokoia, with its warm volcanic soil and its freedom from frosts and pests, seems a place above most others where tobacco should succeed. Nearly the whole of the famous little island lies waste, though it could produce enough kumara and potatoes and fruit to feed all the hundreds of Maoris who claim a share in its sunny slopes and rich levels. Tobacco growing, of course, is a very old Maori industry. In many a kainga the cut leaves may be seen spread out on fences to dry preliminary to the indoor curing and the process of converting them into the much-favoured "torori" —whose powerful aroma once sniffed can never be forgotten. Torori smoking is a taste hard to be acquired by the pakeha, and the younger generation of Maori now turns up its nose at the home-made twist and smokes the cheap pakeha cigarette instead. Torori is certainly well coloured; the dames of the kainga often use molasses from the store for that purpose, and for flavouring. I have a small pamphlet, published by the New Zealand Government in Auckland in 1867, giving the Maoris instruction in the business of growing and curing tobacco. It is entitled "Te Mahinga Tupeka" ("The Tobacco Industry") and there is an English translation of the Maori text. The little book was issued tinder the authority of Sir George Grey, Governor, and the translation was by Mr. John White, of the Native Department. As a frontispiece there is a page of illustrations showing the tobacco plant growing and the method of hanging the tobacco leaves on poles to dry. The authority for the expert information given in the pamphlet is not stated. The methods of cultivation in the United States are described in detail. It is noted that tobacco will succeed only in rich and sheltered lands. "Those said to answer best in Virginia are the light-red or chocolate-coloured mountain lands, the light black soil in the coves of mountains, and the richest low grounds." Tho circulation of this small book among the Maoris, and the distribution of seed set all the tribes busy at "mahinga tupeka," and the people became expert after their fashion in the manufacture of their own powerful twist. It might be worth while re-issuing this publication of sixty years ago, with the information revised by our agricultural and tobacco experts, for the benefit of both pakeha and Maori. —TANGIWAL