TOBACCO SHORTAGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 270, 15 November 1945, Page 5

TOBACCO SHORTAGE

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE ENTIRELY DUE TO A LABOUR SHORTAGE (P.A.) Parliament Bldgs Nov. 14. In the House of Representatives today, the Minister of Supply, Mr. D. G. Sullivan, answering Mr. *D. C. Kidd (Opp., Waitaki) who asked what steps the Minister proposed to take to increase the tobacco supplies, repeated his earlier* statements that the shortage was due solely to labour shortage in the tobacco factories.

Mr. Sullivan said the manufacturers were doing everything possible to increase production and, with the cooperation of their employees, were working 53 hours per week including four hours on Saturday mornings. The factories were also working a full day on two Saturdays monthly, thereby increasing the hours to 57 in thoss weeks. As a result of these extended hours, and the recently lower rate of absenteeism, production of tobacco and cigarettes was higher during October than any other month in 1944 or 1945. However, still more women workers must be recruited to enable the supplies to meet the demand.

The Minister said that as personnel were released from the Armed Forces a proportionate quantity of tobacco was diverted from canteens for distribution to the civilian market.

Replying to several points made by speakers concerning the tobacco shortage, Mr. Sullivan said he agreed that consideration should be given to returned servicemen. He had never heard of any difficulty for soldiers in hospital obtaining tobacco, and he would inquire into that allegation immediately. The whole difficulty concerning tobacco supplies was labour in factories. Those who already were working in factories were working very long hours to try and ease the situation. Girls in munition factories, when munition orders ceased, went into the tobacco factories and raised hopes that more tobacco would be available on the markets. Then th? manpower regulations were lifted and a large number of servicemen returned. A substantial number of girls went out of the tobacco factories into their own homes, or into what they considered more attractive employment, and we were thrown back into a position worse than previously. At the moment we were more hopeful. continued Mr. Sullivan. We were making every endeavour to get girls for factories. There was no solution to the problem other than to persuade workers to go into the factories. He knew nothing of an allegation that tobacco was being shipped to Australia. It also had been suggested to him that there was discrimination between district and district in the distribution of supplies. He had asked the Factory Controller to see that there was no such discrimination. Where there was an influx of population to a district arrangements were made by the Factory Controller for additional supplies. Mr. Kidd said he did not think the Minister realised how acute the tobacco shortage was, and if he knew what the position was in rural areas he would know th? people were not singing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”

In one district, while shearing was in progress, n shearer had said to the farmer: "No tobacco no shearing.” Seasonal work had been held up because of the tobacco shortage. Mr. A. S. Richards (Govt., Roskill): You can’t get something out of nothing.

Mr. Kidd: You can’t if you don’t organise.

Mr. Kidd added that a lot of shortage was due to lack of organisation. He hoped the Minister would do his best to get more labour in the factories.

The Minister of Internal Affairs. Mr. Parry, wondered when the Opposition would face up to lhe situation in the country to-day. The Opposition had laken the Government to task for directing labour, and now asked for labour to he directed to tobacco factories. The Minister could not do the impossible. Labour was very short to-day, and we had to take a reasonable and practical view of the matter. The Minister was doing all he possibly could to get tobacco produced. Mr. Parry said he had been waiting for some practical suggestion by the Opposition to overcome the shortage, but all he had heard was hollow criticism, and it appeared the Opposition was taking advantage of conditions resulting from the war for propaganda purposes.

Mr. S. G. Harker (Opp., Waipawa) asked had the Minister considered lifting the import restrictions for the period we were Unable to supply our own needs.

Mr. Sullivan said it was the factories’ responsibility to get the labour for which they advertised, and the Government was trying to help them.