Price of Tobacco.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20311, 22 May 1934, Page 6

Price of Tobacco.

Dear Sir, —In reply to a letter from one “ Old Identity,” which 1 have just read in to-night’s (Saturday’s) “Star” on this subject, it might be mentioned that if the difference of a couple of pence for tw-o ounces of tobacco is such a strain on the pocket that it puts smoke out of the reach of many (who presumably cannot afford it anyway), one feels that the slight increase just effected will be a far greater blessing than was intended The fact, of course, is that extreme pricecutting has been stopped. The real price, on which sll must now compete, enables retailers, who have been acting as some kind of charitable aid for the benefit of such unfortunates as those with whom “ Old Identity ” appears to group himself, to obtain a living for their trouble in attending to the wants of those who smoke. The “Old Identity’s” imagination is better than his memory, for if he looks round he will find that there is still moi», cheap tobacco—it seems to suit his palat* —than any discriminating smoker woulA ever wish to smoke. In his early youtll the writer smoked a few tea leaves, when he smoked nothing else. 44 Old Identity ” let drop an interesting piece of news when he informed us that a few years ago 44 Tobacco manufacturers and magnates were dving millionaires.” Did the millionaires object or is this still going on? Does “Old Identity” really think that a testimonial a yard long would be any good to the chemist he presented it to? Franklv, Ido not think anybody could be bothered reading as much as that, but then,—l am, etc.. TEA LEAVES.