Tobacco from Rhodesia ?

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32849, 24 February 1972, Page 3

Tobacco from Rhodesia ?

(N.Z. Press Association)

AUCKLAND, February 23. The Citizens’ Association for Racial Equality believes it has traced an illegal shipment of Rhodesian tobacco into New Zealand.

C.A.R.E.’s secretary (Mr T. Newnham) said today that he had advised the Prime Minister (Mr Marshall) of his suspicions, and Mr Marshall had told him an inquiry had started. Since 1966, the Government had adhered to the United Nations sanctions, and forbidden the entry of tobacco from Rhodesia. Mr Newnham said he had strong circumstantial evidence to support his case.

He said the consignment came from a ship in Auckland on February 2 and February 3. It was marked “Produce of Portugal,” and

inquiries showed that it was loaded at Lourenco Marques.

The New Zealand importer was traced, and the firm claimed it had come from Angola, in West Africa.

Mr Newnham said neither Angola nor Mozambique was listed in standard reference books as a tobacco producer, but both were traditional export points for Rhodesian leaf. A Customs Department spokesman said today that if Mr Newnham provided more information, the department would investigate the allegation. But this was the first he had heard about it.

He did not know of any cases of illegal importation of Rhodesian tobacco since the introduction of sanctions.