SAFEGUARDING [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
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Sin,— Much has been written in your columns lately on the subject of " Safeguarding." Perhaps you might like to hear the views of a farmer living on the outskirts of civilization.
Some years ago it pleased the Imperial Government- to grant a preference of 2s. per pound on tobacco grown in the British Dominions and imported into the British Isles. The 'tobacco growers in this country made an exceptional effort in production both in quantity and quality, and have succeeded only too well; Owing to the tremendous increase in quantity the prices for the classes of grown and cured in Southern Rhodesid fell from *an average of more than 8s. per pound to less than 1 s. per pound, with the result that-many tobacco growers have been brought to the verge of ruin—in fact a good many are ruined financially.
According to published balance sheets, speeches of chair- men, Mr. Kiddy's articles in your paper, and other authorities, the Imperial Tobacco Company has paid dividends last year amounting to over £9,000,000 ; Carreras, Ltd., 14,000,000 ; and the Anglo-American Tobacco Company, 16,000,000. Other tobacco manufacturers seem to be doing equally well.
The 2s. preference does not seem to have come to the pockets of the primary producer. Where then has it gone ? - - The vast sums declared as dividends by the huge tobacco companies may not be derived from the preference, but I should think it is up to the home Government to find out what has become of it, and introduce some regulation whereby any preference meant to encourage the primary producer shall go where it is intended to foster production in the Dominions and trade between the old country and the rest of the British Empire.
I am not a tobacco grower—thank goodness !—but my excuse for writing is that my country is a severe sufferer, and the preference, however well intentioned, has been the induce- ment for many farmers to plunge into tobacco growing and
thereby to ruin.—I am, Sir, &c., A. R. MORKEL. Ceres Shawn, Sordh..7n Rhodes-kr.
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