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Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 29 April 1920, Page 3

A correspondent writes to the Hawera Star : Fifty or more years ago, when the price of tobacco was fairly reasonable in New Zealand, the Maoris in Taranaki and elsewhere in the Dominion cultivated the tobacco plant and manufactured their own supplies of the weed. "Rau-rau," as it was called, varied in quality considerably —some of it being excellent smoking whilst other samples —well, the less said the better. However, the fact remains that a palatable smoke could b,e manufactured locally \ and such being the case, one wonders why the Maori lost sight of the industry. Tobacco is iiqw about double the pr|ce it was at the time raunau was man" i ufactured, and it seems that a | splendid opportunity is afforded ! somebody (Maori or otherwise) !of reaping a good harvest —not |at the expense of the smoker, lit is up to the. smoker to do ! something to protect himself.