Nominations to Rothmans

Press, 28 October 1982, Page 2

Nominations to Rothmans

PA Auckland The HART members. John Minto and Dick Cuthbert, have nominated each other for seats on the board of directors of Rothmans Industries, their names being the only ones received for the positions. Three directors of the board offer themselves for re-election at the annual meeting on November 5, and

it is for these seats that the two HART members are nominated.

The managing director of Rothmans, Mr Robert Matthew, said shareholders were informed yesterday that nominations had closed. The only names received were those of Messrs Minto and Cuthbert. He said about 50 shareholders usually attended the meeting to vote on the nominations.

Shareholders could vote

against the person nominated, he said.

Mr Minto said yesterday that he and Mr Cuthbert had been concerned for some time about a 20 per cent shareholder in Rothmans which was part-owned by South African interests.

"It means that money is being fed back to bolster the apartheid system in South Africa,” he said. “What we want the company to do is get rid of this shareholder, a company called Magnum Investments. and replace it with a New Zealand interest.” Mr Minto said that while he did not want to say that he and Mr Cuthbert were certain of getting on the board, he was confident they could raise the South African question at next week’s meeting. He felt there were a number of shareholders

who were unaware of the present situation.