‘Sellout’ claim over tobacco

Press, 15 July 1980, Page 1

‘Sellout’ claim over tobacco

PA Nelson The whole of Motueka faced a “sellout” if the Government continued with its plan to restructure tobacco growing, the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) told a public meeting in Motueka yesterday. Eight hundred people crowded into and spilled out of the hall to hear Mr Rowling, member of Parliament for the district, and other speakers talk about what action they could take to stop the changes, which Motueka people see as the end of the tobacco growing industry and the loss of $12.5 million in spending power. Mr Rowling said there was no way the people could tolerate the planned Government action. He said that in 1974 the Tobacco Industry Act was supported by both main political parties when it passed through Parliament. At the time the National Party’s sole speaker on the act, Sir Keith Holyoake, gave his blessing to the act which was designed to give the industry stability. The act was passed to

give the community stability as well, said Mr Rowling. The people did not want to hear talk about restructuring because they had seen what that meant in the textile and motor industries.

Tobacco growing brought in $12.5 million to Motueka and also provided job and business opportunities. In other towns people were employed in tobacco processing factories. The Government received about $l3O million in tobacco taxes and duties.

Mr Rowling said Motueka must unite to protect what had taken more than 100 years to build up. The meeting set up an action committee to lobby politicians and meet Government heads to ensure the tobacco growing industry, and thus the town, retained its stability. Other speakers included the Mayor of Motueka (Mr D. Kennedy), the president and vice-president of the Tobacco Growers’ Federation, Messrs J. Hurley and G. Hunt, and the South Island secretary of the Workers’ Union (Mr T. Wearne).