THE COCOA MARKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3886, 4 September 1928, Page 66

THE COCOA MARKET.

NOT AFFECTED BY CIGARETTE " SMOKING. WELLINGTON, August 31. A cablegram from London was published to-day stating that the cigarette habit among woman had broken up the powerful British cocoa pool. Interesting views on this matter were expressed by the manager of the Wellington branch of Cadburys and Frys (N.Z.) Ltd. when interviewed. “ The cable report can only be accepted as an exaggeration and savours as a form of publicity adopted by some distributors,” said Mr G. Sara. “ Competition in the cocoa market has been very keen recently, and the Americans made an attempt to ‘bear it’ without success. The higher prices ruling for cocoa beans have been instrumental in producing a period of prosperity on the Gold Coast and any other cocoa-growing areas, to the extent that the natives will naturally endeavour to retain the standard of living obtained, and consequently the old values of cocoa beans are not likely to recur. The cigarette and cocktail habit with women has been in vogue since the Great War, and during this period the manufacture of chocolate has steadily increased. The maintenance of output can onlv be taken as an indication that women are still eating chocolates, although perhaps they are smoking more cigarettes than formerly. The cigarette habit is a passing phase and is reported to be on the wane already. We have no cable information of any advance in prices. The wool-silk analogy is erroneous and misleading. The world’s production of wool is still being absorbed, despite the fact that artificial silk is established. To suggest that because artificial silk has superseded wool in the manufacturing of ladies hosiery, cigarettes have supplanted chocolates is a sufficient indication that the whole statement is an extravagance and not reliable.”

The use of homing pigeons as a police aid m cases of emergency where communication is not available was sugfested at the annual meeting of the igeon Flying Clug (reports the Lyttelton Times). The matter arose over the case of Richard. Dynes, an employee of St. James’s Station, who has been missing since August 13. The snow-covered country between Hamner and St. James’s Station has been thoroughly searched without trace of the missing man. After a discussion, a resolution was carried offering the police the use of homing pigeons.