WORKERS’ TOBACCO

Grey River Argus, 16 February 1946, Page 5

WORKERS’ TOBACCO

RETAILERS OBJECT TO RATION.

WELLINGTON. February 15

Keen resentment is felt by retail tobacconists of . Wairarapa at the Ministry of Supply directing supplies of tobacco to workers at the Waingawa Freezing Works. The direction is believed to be the result of a stopwork meeting at the works and consequent pressure exerted on the Department. Retail tobacconists held a meeting at Masterton last night and a resolution of emphatic protest against, the Ministry of Supply’s action, and stating that it. considered the procedure grossly unfair because it detrimentally affected the availability of tobacco supplies to all other workers, and the public generally, was carried. The meeting further expressed strong disapproval of the failure of the Ministry to carry out its assurance to the New Zealand Retail Tobacconists’ Federation that, in the event of further preferential supplies of tobacco products being issued, supplies would, wherever practicable, be directed through retail tobacconist channels.

CANADIAN CIGARETTES DELAYED WELLINGTON, February 15. The Minister of Supply (Mr Sulli-

van) announced that the first shipment of tobacco and cigarettes from Canada, which had been expected' at the end of this month, would not now arrive until some time in March, having been delayed owing to a strike of waterfront workers at the port of shipment, because of a tobacco shortage. TOBACCO COUPONS. (To the Editor,) Sir. —I was' pleaded to read in the “Argus” Mr R, Scott’s explanation of the tobacco rationing introduced for the benefit of the Dobson and Wallsend miners. Whilst I appreciate the efforts he has made for the benfit of his workmates and for the Co-opera-tive Stores in particular (which, I know through experience, are receiving a bad spin as far as tobacco is concerned) I disagree with his reasoning when he attempts to justify this privilege. That the miners will not receive any extra supply of tobacco because of coupons is hard to believe when one has been told by a member of the Union: “I can buy a packet of tobacco every week at my tobacconist; the wife will get one in the grocery order on Thursday; and I will get one at Dobson for my coupon, and I will line up at Woolworths on Friday night for another”. That statement disposes of Mr Scott’s remarks re the departmental stores’ and tobacconists’ monthly allocation being sold to the advantage of the town people. The allusion to the wife getting a packet in the grocery order is not applicable to Greymouth co-op. members. I wonder if Mr Scott has ever walked along Mackay Street at about 7 p.m. on a Friday and checked up on the country people in the big fine up? Talking about country people, how about the railway surfaceman who is stuck away miles from anywhere, or the dredge hand, or the timber worker, or the man on the farm, as well as the roadmen who only come to town once a week (if they are lucky); and last, but by no means least, what of the returned serviceman who has no means- of supply? Are they not entitled to a coupon and a fair distribution of available supplies? The Greymouth allocation is one packet of tobacco or 50 cigarettes per week, per head, but it would be interesting to know just how many are receiving their quota. According to those figures which Mr Scott believes are true, the ration for my household should be five packets per week, but since November 1, exactly seven packets of tobacco and four packets of cigarettes has been our share. Can one wonder at the demand for rationing foi- all? May I point out that any proposal for compiling a register (chargable) is not a solution to the problem, but merely an exploitation of goods in short supply. I feel confident that if the miners were to consider the position from a national rather than a local point of view, they would support the railway men in their demands to the Government, and thus help to bring about a system which would react to the betterment of all. I am. etc., “GREYS” Cobden.