11

I. —1()B

C. B. bussbll

Plug Tobacco sold in New Zealand (Duty, 3s. 6d. per Pound).

Merchant's average buying price, Is. 7d. per pound. Duty, Retailer's average buying-price, 5?. 3-4 d. 3s. 6d. per pound = 2334 per cent.; duty on such brands as twists per pound, duty paid; average selling-price, which cost lid. per pound = 385 per cent. 7s. 3'3d. per pound: average profit, Is. 11-9 d. per pound = 35-25 per cent. The retail profits ate based upon the Wellington Tobacconists' Association retail price-list, July, 1904.

Thursday, 27th October, 1904. Henry H. Mirams examined. (No. 3.) 1. The Chairman.] You have come here, Mr. Mirams, to give us some enlightenment in connection with the tobacco trade ? —Yes. I am the New Zealand representative of Messrs. Kronheimer (Limited), of Melbourne, and they are sole agents for Derby and Golden Eagle tobaccos, and have, been for many years. 2. Would you like to make a general statement with regard to the tobacco trade ?—I shall be very pleased to answer questions generally, and perhaps add a little myself. 3. The object of our investigation is to endeavour to find out whether the trade is carried on on fair and square lines, or whether an unjust monopoly is being attempted by the American Tobacco Company by which it can compel people to confine themselves to its tobaccos alone, or some other tobaccos which it will approve of, for the purposes of control ? —As far as my firm personally is concerned, we do not in any way dictate to any retailer or merchant as to what goods they shall stock. All we ask of them is to buy our goods, and that they do. 4. First of all, let me ask you if you have any connection whatever with the American Tobacco Company ?—No, absolutely none. We are an Australian company. 5. Have you found the American Tobacco people interfering with your customers in any way ?— Absolutely no. 6. Then, you are working in harmony with the American Tobacco Company ? —Well, as far as trade competition will allow we are working in harmony with them. We do not say to any merchant, " You shall not stock any other goods than ours," and neither does the American Tobacco Company of New Zealand (Limited), to my knowledge, say so. 7. You have no tacit arrangements with them % —Absolutely none. 8. Mr. Aitken.] Of course, you have an idea as to the quantity of tobacco imported into the colony ?— Yes. 9. What proportion of the tobacco trade of the colony do you say your principals do—that is, Messrs. Kronheimer (Limited) ?—We deal mostly in plug tobaccos, which, as most smokers are aware, are the leading tobaccos used in New Zealand. We have more than 50 per cent, of the plug-tobacco trade of the colony.

Mercl Tobs aant drawing f icco Company Supplies fro of New Zei >m the American aland (Limited). Retai tier drawing upplies fr< Dm the Mei reliant. * d - - 'C Brand. i « d , H — fa 12 i -o d dp . ■ dPn^-I-as ■ =U£fi m CB a T3 a 3 o a) g§ offl Ph rtpq «■ a d *o ° F -d *■ d c «p o>.d „; a; tn g 3 d Ph «1 a — s O W rt£ . fas a .2 £ >■ ||n dJ -d . >. PntL SPh ft ft S3 to 13 d 3 o Ph ftp, Ph »p «Ph d i3 fa-3 o o d gap, Ph i . rt 8 -.9 °HH edd o « o, d w o s. d. Juno, 7$s .. .. 12$ s. d. f(A)l 4$ 1(B)1 5$ s. d. 0 2 0 3 Per Cent. Per Cenl 13 20 It. f s. d. 4 10$ 4 11$ s. d. 6 3 6 3 s. d. 1 H 1 3$ Per Cent. 27$ 25 'er Cen . 4$s .. .. 12$ j(A)l 4$ t'B)1 5$ 0 9 0 3 13 20 4 10$ 4 11$ 6 9 6 9 1 10$ 1 9$ 40$ 35} Victory, 7$s .. 1 8$ f(A) 1 10$ 1(B) 2 0$ 0 2 0 4 10 2J 5 4$ 5 6$ 7 6 7 6 1$ 1 H$ 40$ 36$ 4$s .. 1 8$ ((A) 1 10$ |(B) 2 0$ 0 2 0 4 10 20 5 4$ 5 6$ 6 9 6 9 1 4$ 2 2$ 26$ 22$ Havelock, dark, 7$s 1 6$ I (A) 1 8$ 1(B) 1 9$ 0 2 0 3 11 5 2$ 5 3$ 7 6 7 6 2 3$ 2 2$ 45 42$ 0 2 0 3 16-75-6 9 6 9 35-25 4$s 1 6$ ((A) 1 8$ 1(B) 1 9$ 11 17$ 5 2$ 5 3$ 1 6$ 1 5$ 30 27$ Welcome Nugget, 7$s, 2 2 4$s ((A) 2 5 (|B)2 6 0 3 0 4 12 15 5 11 6 0 9 5 7 10 3 6 1 10 57$ 30} Imperial Ruby, 5s .. 2 2 6s .. 2 2 (A) 2 5 (B)2 6 0 3 0 4 12 15 5 11 6 0 8 9 9 0 2 10 3 0 47$ 50 Venus, 8s .. .. 11$ f(A)l 4 1(B) 1 6 0 2$ 0 4$ 20 33$ 4 8$ 4 9$ 6 8 6 8 1 H$ 1 10$ 42$ 40 Twist, 7s, 22s .. 0 11 1(A) 1 1 1(B) 1 2 0 2 0 3 >7$ 27$ J 4 7 4 8 5 6 5 6 0 11 0 10 ' 20 17$