'SMOKES SHORTAGE

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 118, 15 November 1945, Page 8

'SMOKES SHORTAGE

DISCUSSED BY HOUSE

LABOUR DIFFICULTY

The shortage of tobacco was due solely to insufficiency of labour in tlie tobacco factories, said the Minister of Supply (Mr. Sullivan) in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon in a written reply to a question by Mr. D. C. Kidd (National, Waitaki). As a result of additional hours being worked and of a recently lower rate of absenteeism, the production of tobacco and cigarettes during October was higher than in any month this year or in 1944, said the Minister, but the increase in production necessary to meet the whole demand was dependent on the recruitment of still more women workers.

The manufacturers were doing everything possible to increase production, said Mr. Sullivan, and with the co-operation of their employees were regularly working 53 -hours a week, including four hours on Saturday, mornings. The factories were also working the full day on two Saturdays each month, increasing the hours to 57 in those weeks. In a note to his question, Mr. Kidd said the demand for tobacco had increased as a result of thousands of men being discharged from the Armed Forces. The Minister replied that as personnel were released a proportionate quantity of tobacco was diverted from the canteens for distribution to the civilian market.

Mr. W. T. Anderton (Government, Eden) said he realised there was a shortage-of labour in the country, but a few months ago a tremendous amount of tobacco was being manufactured to be sent "to thousands of Service personnel overseas. Today that tobacco was not leaving the country. He appreciated that men had arrived back and were using tobacco, but it seemed that the distribution of tobacco needed some overhauling. He had just heard from a man in the industry that the shortage was simply because in a fortnight's time or next month there would be a double -issue. There was not much gain in cutting the present issue merely to give a double issue later on.

A STORY REFUTED

Mr. H. E. Combs (Government, Wellington Suburbs) said that if the manufacturers were doing their best, tha question arose whether the Government was doing its best. It could not force women into the factories if they were not willing to go. '"There is a story," continued Mr. Combs, "that the National Tobacco Co., Napier, is shipping packets of tobacco to Australia to sell on the black market for ls 3d a packet, but it is all moonshine, and is a story told by retailers who only look after their regular customers. If someone else wants tobacco they tell this story, which brings discredit on the manufacturers. Let us be fair, and if the man-power shortage cannot be made good let everybody ration themselves, and play the game by the j workers in the factories, who are doing j their best to assist the Government." The Minister of Supply said that when the man-power restrictions were lifted a number of women went out of the tobacco factories into their normal sphere of the home. Others went into what they regarded as more attractive employment. Girls released from munitions made an excellent response to the appeal to go into tobacco factories and the position appeared to be" improving for a time. Mr. Kidd said that men were going into the country for shearing, and there was the possibility that last year's position would arise of the men i saying, "No tobacco, no shearing." } Mr. A. S. Richards (Government, I Roskill): You cannot get something out of nothing.

GIRLS IN UNIFORM,

"We have hundreds of girls in the (Air Force and the Army," retorted |Mr. Kidd. "For heaven's sake get them out of uniform and into the tobacco factories. The shortage is due to lack of organisation." The Minister of Supply said the companies concerned were endeavouring to get girls and the Government was assisting in that direction. ■Mr. C. G. E. Harker (National, Waipawa): What about lifting the import restrictions while we cannot cope with the position owing to the shortage of labour? ... • Mr. Richards said the Opposition knew perfectly well that the shortage of tobacco was just as acute in Great Britain as in New Zealand. In America it was worse, except for the military forces. It was well known that in Australia people queued up for days and many were unable to secure supplies. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland): You can get,all you want in America. The shortage of girls was due to the Government's encouragement of light industries, said Mr. J. Acland (National, Temuka). Mr. T. H. McCombs (Government, Lyttelton) suggested that the labour shortage would be relieved, if people did not smoke. . ■An Opposition member: Brilliant idea. Mr. K. J. Holyoake (National, Pahia--tua) said the United States might be a possibility for supplies, but if supplies were imported he hoped it would not be a permanent policy.

REFLEX OF RIGID DIRECTION,

The companies in New Zealand were doing their level best. One company had spent £200 In advertisements and the net result-was three extra women.

New Zealand was suffering today from a reflex of rigid direction. Girls who had been directed had gone to their homes and would not leave them. Later there might be another revulsion from that. Girls were a little afraid that if they took employment there might be another amendment and they would be directed again. There were still a number of girls in the Armed Forces and he thought the Government should get rapidly on the job by using them to make up the shortage of girl workers in the tobacco and other industries.

The Minister of Rehabilitation (Mr. Skinner) agreed that there had been a revulsion in regard to direction, the position being that those who had been directed were now having a good holiday before going back to work.