TOBACCO SHORTAGE

Grey River Argus, 19 May 1943, Page 3

TOBACCO SHORTAGE

LACK OF LABOUR BLAMED. DUNEDIN, May 17. The statement that the inability o£ the manufacturers to obtain sufficient labour has been the sole cause of the recent shortage of tobacco was made by the president of the Dunedin Retail Tobacconists’ Association (Mr. V. S. Jacobs), recently, when he was asked to comment upon the official announcement that supplies to tobacconists and hairdressers are to be increased by approximately 30 per cent. “The position has been most ditiicult throughout the country,” said Mr. Jacobs, “and it has been due to a shortage of labour and to no other cause.” He added that the staff of one factory, which had employed 400 hands before the war, had dropped to 280, and at this stage the Government had provided an additional 30 girls. If the factories could obtain the necessary labour they could produce more tobacco than the country would require. The Government was taking a sympathetic view, and the National Service Department was doing its best to assist the industry, which, in view of its difficulties and the restrictions placed on imports, had don ft “a wonderfcl job” in producing so much to meet smokers’ requirements. Mr. Jacobs added that the allocation on an equitable basis of the additional supplies which had been promised would require the preparation of a Dominion-wide plan which, he thought, would not be in operation for a period of six or eight weeks. The Government’s decision had been made after it had heard the representations of tobacconists, who ffiad pointed out that, in view of the fow margin of profit on which they*were working, it was impossible 1 for them to make a living while' the quantities of tobacco which they were receiving were so small ' Mr. Jacobs urged that, until the increased supplies became available, smokers should not purchase more than their immediate requirements. In the meantime, though he might, not be able to obtain his favourite brand, no smoker need be without tobacco. When, the additional stocks were distributed there would be ample to meet the ordinary needs of every smoker.