TOBACCO INDUSTRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 5 July 1939, Page 11

TOBACCO INDUSTRY

NO. 2 WARD MEETING AT MOTUEKA The annual meeting of No. 2 Ward of j the New Zealand Tobacco Growers’ j Federation held in the Institute Hall, Motueka, last evening was attended by eighteen members. The reason of the moderate attendance was due to the inclemency of the weather. Mr V. Davy, who occupied the chair, extended a cordial welcome to the president and secretary of the Tobacco Growers’ Federation, Messrs F. A. ■Hamilton and N. J. Lewis respectively. ( In furnishing a verbal report the j chairman stated that the necessity oi holding a ward meeting during the year had not arisen. PLAN FOR INDUSTRY The main activities of the Federation had been an endeavour to bring about a definite plan for the industry, but! he regretted to say the efforts had not met with much success. The only advancement made had been the fixing of an average price of Is lOid per lb for leaf. ‘ i ELECTION OK COMMITTEE i The retiring members of the Ward ! Committee, who were eligible for re- 1 ; election, were Messrs C. D. C. Eggers, IS. I. Llewellin, G. H. Bealson and V. ; Davy. After nomination, the following i members were elected for the current : year: Messrs S. Beatson. S. I. Llewellin. V. Davy and J. Martin, together with i Mr R. W. S. Stevens, who does not retire until next year. Delegate to Tobacco Growers’ Federation, Mr V. Davy. Messrs F. A. Hamilton and R. W. S. Stevens were nominated to fill two vacancies on the Tobacco Board. The chairman pointed out that these members, and others nominated, would be balloted for by growers, the final i selection being in the hands of the I Minister. j CONSTITUTION OF BOARD

Mr S. I. llewellin said there was a i i feeling among some growers that the . Tobacco Board was not constituted to | the best advantage of growers. He i j asked the chairman if he knew of any j board where the producer and manuI facturer sat at the same tabic? i Mr Hamilton pointed out that the Act j would have to be repealed before a ; change could be made in the constuu- . tion of the Tobacco Board. ] Mr Lewis said it was difficult to see j how the Board could be differently coni stituted. Since the Board was established in 193 G, price fixation and stabil■j isation of the industry had been at- , tempted, but the industry was little furI Iher forward to-day than it was in 1936. In his opinion, it had not been due to 'the lack of constitution of the Board ■ but rather to the lack of success of : its efforts. i! Mr. Stevens said the side of the .'Tobacco Board he did not agree with /was that the confidential discussions ; of the Board were no secret to the ,! manufacturers, but were to the growers r | It was resolved, Messrs T. Kelling and j;S. I. Llewellin. that it be a recom- ; mendation to the Federation that en- : deavours be made to have the minutes of Tobacco Board meetings made avail- " | able to the Federation. »j SECRETARY OF TIIF BOARD

Further, it was resolved, Messrs T. Kelling and H. Helm, that it be a recommendation to the Federation that it use its best endeavours to have the Tobacco Board secretary resident in Motueka.

Mr Hamilton said there were many reasons why the Board secretary should be resident in Motueka. The Federation had given this matter some thought, and would certainly lake up the cudgels on behalf of growers. Mr Hamilton, as president of the I Federation, thanked the growers of No. 2 Ward for the interest they had taken in the tobacco industry. The main business transacted by the Federation had, he said, been pub-

lished periodically, so growers should have a good knowledge of what had been done. Mr Hamilton dealt with the questions of sterilisation of soil, and export leaf, along similar lines as at the Riwaka meeting. Arising out of Mr Hamilton's remarks, it was decided. Messrs R. W. S. Stevens and T. Kelling. that this inceiing endorse the actions of No. 1 Ward in respect to the appointment of a representative to act on behalf of growers on the return to New Zealand of export leaf shipped overseas. Mr Lewis read certain correspondence that had passed between the Federation and the Tobacco Board, and advanced reasons for the action the Federation had taken. Mr Kelling congratulated the Federation on the stand it had taken on behalf of tobacco growers. Mr Llewellin while supporting the motion, expressed the opinion that when no advance was being made, growers should have been called together by the Federation, when it would have been possible for growers to refuse to dispose of their leaf to manufacturers until some satisfactory scheme was presented. Mr Hamilton in thanking the Ward members for nominating him for a seat on the Tobacco Board, said he did not agree with some of the remarks made by Mr Lewis, in that he disagreed with the statement that growers’ representatives were unable to give the Federation and growers information. Mr Hamilton pointed out that there was nothing in the Act to prevent them from doing so, the attitude was only a mutual arrangement among the members of the Tobacco Board. If elected, he would strive to get the position altered and would also seek as a member of the Board to retain his position on the Federatir i Mr R. W. S. Stevens, in endorsing Mr Hamilton’s sentiments, thanked growers for nominating him as a candidate for a seat on the Tobacco Board.