MANICA POST 50 YEARS AGO

RTA BOSS URGES FREE AUCTIONS NEXT YEAR

FREE Tobacco auctions again next year were suggested by the Rhodesia Tobacco Association president, Mr Carol Heurtley, as a way of showing the world “that we are not going to be defeated” and the tobacco trade that Rhodesia had something to offer.

Tobacco growers from Odzi, Umtali, Inyazura and the Burma Valley applauded Mr Heurtley`s suggestion, made at a meeting at Odzi.

Said one grower: “Let’s try it out and see what happens. If there are any spies around lock them up.”

The RTA president acknowledged that there would be tremendous difficulties in reinstating the auction system.

But problems were made to be solved, he said, and the resumption of tobacco auctions next March will be a shot in the arm.