http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/kve96a99/pdf

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1. 

Monday, 3rd January 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra, Wells 

and Ridley present . 

Mr. McAra reported that the Treasury had given formal 

consent to the proposed increase in capital by Brown & William- 

son Tobacco Corporation and a capitalisation issue by Pakistan 

Tobacco Company. The Pakistan proposals are, of course, 

subject also to the Pakistan Government's consent . 

2. Mr. Ridley reported that Mr . Wade of B. & W. had 

telephoned to say that they did not want to take delivery of 

the 5 Hauni machines due for shipment on the 5th January, as 

the Hauni machines they already had had not worked satisfactorily . 

The shipment of these machines has accordingly been stopped . 

http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/kve96a99/pdf 

1 .

Tuesday, 4th January 1955 . 


and Ridley present. 

1. Additional expenditure of Re .158,400 by Pakistan Tobacco 

Company to complete the Fouzdarhat Factory was approved. This 

represents increased cost over and above the original estimate 

of Rs .24,74,254 which was approved by this Committee on the 

21st October 1953. 

2. Letter was read from Mr . Cavendish-Bentinck about the 

Anglo-German Association, to which this Company and other 

Companies have made a donation of £100 for each, of the past two 

years. If the Association is to continue and to do better work, 

it will be necessary to employ an Organising Secretary and for 

this reason the Companies are asked to make similar donation s 

for 1955 . It was recommended that B .A.T. should make a donation 

of £100 this year. 


1 . 

9 3 . 

Wednesday, 5th January 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra, Wells and 

Ridley present . 

It was reported that under the Sun Life Scheme No .3 

(Top Hat Scheme) it has hitherto been the practice to limit 

relinquishments of salary to £50 or multiples of £50. The 

Committee agreed that in future relinquishments could be made 

of £10 or multiples of £10 . 

2. It was agreed that Mr . Misselbrook should receive 

the Directors' Cable List . 

Particulars of appointments to the permanent staff 

between the 1st September and 31st December 1954 were submitted 

and approved . 

It was agreed that in future the Personnel Department 

should be asked to show on these returns the total number of 

permanent and temporary staff as compared with the previous return . 

4. Mr. Ridley explained to the Committee the steps which 

,,ad been taken to assist members of the staff to get to the 

office in the event of a strike and he will submit a further 

report in due course . 


3

7th January 1955 

ARRANGH ENTS IN THE EVERT OF A RAILWAY STRIKE . 

In the event of a Railway strike, arrangements will 

be put into force to assist as many members of the staff as 

possible to reach Westminster House by means of private cars 

or hired motor coaches . Some members of the staff, however, 

will have to depend on whatever public transport is available. 

Each member of the staff will be advised by Heads of 

tepartments before the office closes on Friday, 7th January, 

what form this assistance will take, if any, in each individual 

case . The staff will be given this information so that if a 

final decision to strike is not made until after 5 .15 p.m . on 

Friday, the 7th, they will know what action they must take 

to reach Westminster House on Monday morning, the 10th January . 

Abnormal travelling expenses unavoidably incurred by 

any members of the staff during the strike can be presented 

for consideration as necessity arises. Any members of the 

staff eventually requesting such consideration, however, will 

readily appreciate that the amount of the individual's usual 

travelling expenses will be taken into account in considering 

such expenses . 


Where members of the staff make use of the coach 

services which will be provided, it will be the Company's 

intention to make a charge of not more than the daily average 

rate which each person would pay for normal means of travelling . 

If holders of Railway season tickets do not receive compensation 

from the Railways, either in cash or by an extension , 

the matter can be reconsidered in that light .

0 

Thursday, 6th January 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Gough, Sargent, MoAra, 

Wells and Ridley present. 

1. Memorandum by Mr . Geldart dated 5th January 1955 was 

read, containing the following recommendations :- 

1. That Mr . R .J.E . Price and Mr . F.R.L . Carey should le 

reimbursed by H .A .T. (Hong Kong) the under-mentioned 

expenditure incurred by them on behalf of Yee Tsoong 

Tobacco Co.Ltd ., for which Y.T .T . could not reimburse 

them at the time : - 

Mr. Price £2,700 on account of entertaining expenses 

between May 1951 and May 1954 . 

£115 - advances to an employee of Y.T .T . 

for medical expenses . 

Mr. Care HK, 15,000 on account of entertaining expenses 

during 1951 and 1952. 

2. That H .A.T. (Hong Kong) should make a gratuitous payment 

of the equivalent of £500 sterling to Mr. Mihailoff and that 

it should be agreed to forgo the balance of a loan of 

Hx,%10,459 .01 owing by Mr . Mihailoff. 

3. That if Mr. H.W. Chen (former senior employee of Y .T .T .) 

should ever leave China and make any approach to us, H .A.T . 

(Hong Kong) should make him a gift of Z9,000, being the 

equivalent of one year's salary not drawn by him for political 

reasons whilst in Y .T.T's employ, and an additional two years' 

salary . 

4 . That no claims which may be made by Mr . W. Fielden 

should be considered . 

These recommendations were approved . 

2. It was reported that the arrangement, made with Sir Harry 

Greenfield on the Est January 1952, to act as adviser on tobacco 

taxation at a fee of £1,500 p .a ., had now expired and it wa s 

recommended that the arrangement should be renewed for a further 

period of three years at a fee of £2,500 p .a . 

3. Mr . McAra reported that the cash forecast for Rift Valley 


Cigarette Company for the period January/March 1955 showed

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0 

additional cash requirements of approximately £15,000, whic h 

would bring the total investment in that Comuany at the 31st Parch 

up to approximately £603,000, which is in excess of the original 

estimate. It was agreed to defer any decision on the futur e 

of this Company until Mr . Gelsthorp had had an opportunity of 

examining the matter on the spot . 


I

Monday, 10th January 1955. 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra, Wells 


11 Mr . Sargent read a letter from Gallaher saying that, 

with effect from the 1st November last, the fixed charge for 

TORCHLIGHT which they manufacture for us will be reduced from 

12/6d . to 12/3d. per thousand. 

as 

2. Mr . Ridley said that/our South African Company would 

now be getting 50,000 lbs U.S. tobacco and more Rhodesian 

tobacco the question had been raised whether they might now 

manufacture CAPSTAN locally. Mr. Ridley said that a palatable 

blend could be made up for approximately 20,000,000 CAPSTAN 

cigarettes a year . It was felt that this would not be 

sufficient if the brand were a success and that, therefore , 

the suggestion to manufacture CAPSTAN should not be made to 

The United Tobacco Companies (South) at this moment . In the 

meantime, however, Mr . Ridley will arrange for experiments to 

be carried out on blends . 

3. It was agreed that Mr. McCormick should visit the 

United States and Canada, leaving on the 17th April . He will 

spend approximately three weeks in the States and one week in 

Canada . 

4. Particulars of a retirement for which calculations 

had been agreed on the normal basis between 25th November and 

28th December were submitted for information . 


I

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1 . 

2. 


Messrs . Oppenheim, Saraart, McAra, Wells 


The under-mentioned additional capital expenditure, 

particulars of which were set out in a memorandum by Mr . 

Stewart dated 11th January, was approved :- 

East African Tobacco Co .Ltd . 

(a) Nairobi Factory Project £187,977 

Staff House £ 7,000 

(b) East African Leaf Development , 

Fixed Assets for Jinja and 

Sundry Expenses E.A.Sh .1,585,05 0 

Pioneer Tobacco Co.Ltd. 

Takoradi Factory Project £ 16,29 3 

It was agreed, as shareholders, to approve certain 

appointments to the Boards of our associated companies in 

Indonesia, as set out in a memorandum by Mr. Gelsthorp dated 

10th January 1955 . 0 

Wednesday, 12th January 1955 . 



The Chairman referred to the Intermediate Management 

Course which was held at Oxford last year and it was agreed that 

a similar Course should be included in the Personnel Department's 

programme for this year. 


'1

Thursdays 13th January 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargar.t, McAra, '-Wells 


1. Mr . 1 Ara referred to the proposal (contained in Note No .5 

of lst September 1955 and previous notes) to purchase land at Prai 

(Penang) and Seaport (Kuala Lumpur) . It now appears that the name 

and address of the true owner of land in Malaya has to be divulged 

to the Taxation Authorities and since it is particularly desired 

not to disclose B.A.T's interest in the purchase, it was agreed 

that the two pieces of land should be purchased respectively by 

Weston Investment Co.Ltd . and Terrain Investment Co.Ltd . and that 

the registered addresses of these two Companies should be changed 

from Westminster House to 10 Smith Square and 2, Dean 6tanley Street, 

respectively. 

2 . Letter was read from Sir Jocelyn Lucas about the 3mpire War 

Memorial Fund, to which in 1952 B .A .^ . gave £100 and undertook to 

guarantee a further £LtOO if it were needed . The Fund is within 

£1,000 of its target and B .A.T's contingent liability under the 

guarantee is now approximately £lfi0 . Sir Jocelyn has asked whether 

B.A .T . would like to give £16'0 and wash out any further liability, 

but admits that it would probably pay the Company to wait . It was 

agreed that the matter should be left as it is . 

3. It was reported that, as from Friday, 14th January, the 

lifts at Millbank Entrance would be closed until further notice and 

that because of the extra traffic which will be carried by the Dean 

Start ey Street and Smith Square lifts it will be necessary to 

restrict their use to passengers who wish to travel up a minimum of 

two floors or down a minimum of four . As from Friday the Reception 

Room will be at Dean Stanley Street !"ntrance and the chauffeurs will 

move to the present Reception Room. Notice to this effect will be 

published to the staff . 


S 

Friday, 14th January 1955 . 



Letter was read from Malayan Tobacco Distributors about 

an appeal for a building fund which has been launched by th e 

Alice Smith Schools Association in Kuala Lumpur . The Association 

provides education facilities for European children and other 

European firms in Malaya are responding to the appeal, either by 

way of donation or by subscribing debentures . A recommendation 

that M .T.D . should make a donation of Straits ,$ 1,000 to the 

fund was approved . 

2. Mr. Ridley suggested that Mr . Crolard might be asked to 

visit the United States at the end of his tour in Brazil in 

October next, to study the manufacture of reconstituted tobacco 

sheet . This was agreed to, subject to satisfactory terms being 

fixed with Mr . Crolard and, if it is arranged, Air . Ridley will 

visit the States at the same time . 


7

Monday, 17th January 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra, Wells and 


1. The Chairman read a letter from Mr . Bruton explaining 

the background to Mr . Wester's resignation from Cis Noblez a 

de Tabacos. It was agreed, in the circumstances of his case, 

that Mr . Wester should receive a sterling pension . 

2. Mr . Sargant referred to the interest free loan of £800 

granted to Mr. L.R . Daines in respect of the furniture which he 

lost in Belgium during the war . The loan was granted on the 

terms that it would not be called in except to the extent that 

Mr . Dairies received compensation from the Belgian Government or 

otherwise. Mr . Daines has received approximately £300 from the 

Belgian Government but it was agreed not to ask Mr . Daines to 

refund this amount to the Company . 

In the event of Mr. Daines' death, the Company will 

give consideration to washing out the loan altogether, in the 

light of the circumstances then existing . 

3. With reference to note No .1 of the 18th June 1954, Mr . 

Ridley reported that the plans for Ardath's Welwyn Factory w ere 

now complete and that they were ready to go to tender. It was 

agreed that Ardath should proceed with these plans . 

4. Letter was read from The United Tobacco Cos . (South) Ltd . 


about certain annual payments due from International Tobacco Co . 

of South Africa Ltd. to Jacoby & Co . (PLy) Ltd . In respect of 

special discount and to Mr . C.J. Jacoby in respect of advisory 

fee. Mr . Jacoby has asked that these payments should be 

commuted for a lump sum - namely, £25,000 in respect of special 

discount and £15,000 in respect of the advisory fee . The United 

Tobacco Cos . (South) Ltd. propose to offer £20,000 in respect of 

the discount, but suggest that the advisory fee should be allowed 

to continue . It was decided to recommend to South Africa that

0 

0 

they should give further consideration to commuting the advisory 

fee, so as to clear the matter up altogether . 

5. Memorandum by Mr. Stewart dated the 7th January was read 

in respect of the modernisation of the Indian Factories . The 

total expensiture involved is £353,377 and this was approved . 

6. Memorandum by Mr . Gelsthorp was read concerning the 21 

acres of land on the Seaport Estate, Kuala Lumpur . In view of 

the uncertainty about the value of this land, it was agreed to 

authorise the Hongkong & 6harghai Bank (Malaya) Trustee Limited 

to open negotiations for the purchase of this land at £100 an 

acre, but with authority, if necessary, to go up to £300 an acre . 


11 

Tuesday, 18th January 195 5 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra, Wells 


1. Letter was read from Mr . Brand about the Y .W.C .A . 

to which the Company has given £50 p .a. for several years. 

This is the Centenary Year of the Y .W.C .A. and, as a result, 

they are making a special appeal . It was recommended that the 

Company should give £100 this year . 

2. Letter was read from Mr . Bennett, Indonesia, to Mr . 


Gelsthorp, referring to the precarious housing position of 

Koiff's Offset. Koiff's have a staff of 7 to house and onl y 

have three houses. They have now been offered three houses 

(in an unfinished state) at Kebajoran for approximatel y 

one million Rupiahs and the option expires on the 19th January . 

Messrs. Wilkie, Bennett and Bone have considered the matter and 

recommend acceptance of the offer. As shareholders, it was 

agreed that the offer should be accepted .

0 

Messrs. Sargant, Gough, McAra, Wells and 


The meeting considered the copy of a letlE r which Mr . 

Norman Jones, Australia, has received from the Colonial Secretary 

in Fiji in reply to the joint proposal of H.A.T. and B.T. Co. 

(Australia) to establish manufacture in Fiji . The Colonial 

Secretary's letter gives no definite assurance about the rates of 

I 

(3 . 

import duty and excise duty or of their maintenance over a definite 

period. It was agreed that Mr. Sargant should cable Mr . Jones, 

pointing out that this is fundamental to the whole project and 

that, in the absence of a satisfactory assurance on these points, 

we feel that it would be unwise to make any definite commitments 

with regard to the land or factory . A draft letter from Mr . 

Langford to Mr. Jones on the subject of Crown Leases was approved . 


D

0 

0 

Friday, 21st January 1955. 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra, Wells 


1. Mr . Oppenheim read a letter from the President of 

2 . 

the Board of Trade, inviting him (Mr . Oppenheim) to join 

an informal advisory group of leading people in industry 

and commerce, which discusses with the President export 

policy and problems . The group normally meets once a 

month and it was agreed that Mr . Oppenheim should accept 

this invitation . 


It was reported that Mr. Brain would be retiring at 

the end of this year. Mr . Brain was engaged at age 31 , 

as a solicitor's managing clerk with outside experience . It 

was agreed, in these circumstances, that Mr . Brain should have 

the benefit of specialist adjustment . 

/ 9

0 

Monday, 24th January 1955 , 



It was reported that J . Wix & Sons Ltd . (the proprietors 

of KENSITAS) wanted to register the trade mark "Eight Bells" 

in respect of cigarettes and had applied to The I.T. Co . and 

B.A.T. for their consent, in view of our existing registration 

of "Three Bells" trade mark . 

The T .T . Co . are not prepared to give consent in view of 

the importance to them of the "Three Bells" trade mark and of the 

fact that the name "Bell" is associated with the "Three Nuns" 

brand . 

It was agreed that we should also refuse consent for the 

same reasons as The I .T . Co . 


ISM




1. It was reported that, with the consent of the Company, 

four employees were retiring early this year before attaining 

age 63. As these are early retirements under the new scheme, 

the retirement benefits will not be fully covered under the 

provisions of the revised Pension Fund Rules and Sun Life Scheme . 

It was agreed in principle that, in the case of such 

early retirements, that part of the benefit not already covered 

(excluding any portion which the individual may wish to commute 

for a lump sum) should be secured by the purchase of an additional 

annuity under the No .5 Scheme . This would nct apply where the 

employee is in a state of health which would make the purchas e 

of an annuity an uneconomic proposition . 

2. In the past it has been the practice for Mr . McCormick, 

as Secretary of B.A .T ., to send direct to associated companies 

in certain of the Louisville supervised territories notification 

of changes in the B.A.T. Board and other official communications, 

such as copies of the Report and Accounts. Louisville feel 

that it would be better if such communications were sent direct 

from Louisville to territories supervised from there, and this 

was agreed to . 

3 . It was reported that Vander Elet had recently registered 


the word "Micro" for tobacco products in Belgium . Lorillard 

have an earlier registration in Belgiumcf "Micronite" for filters 

for cigarettes . It was agreed that Mr . Langford should write to 

Mr . Perkins, Attorney for Lorillard, suggesting that they should 

make application to cancel Vander Elst's registration of "Micro" . 

'4

I* 

Wednesday . 26th January 1255- 


Ridley present. 

1. Memorandum by Mr . Ridley dated 7th January 1955 was 

read, setting out fully plans for a research and development 

establishment for the B.A.T. Group, which it is suggested shoul d 

be set up on an undeveloped plot of land belonging to the 

Company's Southampton Branch, but to be independent of it . 

Models of the proposed buildings were also examined . The 

capital cost is estimated to be approximately £500,000, of which 

the greater part could be written off in five years . The yearly 

running costs are estimated to be £80,000 to £120,000 . 

The Meeting approved the plans and Mr . Ridley will 

keep the Meeting informed of subsequent developments . 

2 . It was reported that the New Zealand Company was 


putting out cigarette paper booklets under the name "Pickwick" . 

This mark is registered in New Zealand in B .A .T's name and it 

was agreed that it should be assigned to Imperial Tobacco Co . 

of New Zealand for a nominal consideration . 

/7

Friday, 28th January 1955 . 

Masers, Oppenhe im, Sargant, McAra, Wells 


It was reported that the 'first loss' insurance 

policy covering all claims up to £1,000,000 in respect of 

lose of duty drawback and loss of duty was due for renewal 

on the 28th January. The premium for renewal for 1955 will 

be £13,500. As the total amount at risk is likely to b e 

at least £120,000,000, it was agreed that the Company should 

be adequately covered and that the policy should be renewed 

for a further year. ; o Wt "Yi.'`j- 

Monday, 31st January 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, McArb, Wells and 


1. Mr . Sargent reported that the Colonial Office had 

appointed a Research Worker to prepare a paper on African 

productivity which will be read at a Conference in August of the 

Commission for Technical Co-operation in Africa . The Colonial 

Office have asked Mr . Hyde-Clarke of the Overseas Employers' 

Federation to suggest factories which might be-visited by this 

Research Worker in preparing her paper, and Mr . Hyde-Clarke would 

like to suggest, among others, the Jinja Factory . It was agreed 

there was no objection. 

2. With reference to Note No .2 of the 11th November 1954, 

Mr. Ridley reported that a comprehensive report had been received 

from Mr. J.C . Jaring on standard plant for refrigeration and 

cold storing of tobacco . This is within the time prescribed by 

the Company for preparing the report . 

3. Expenditure of £107,896 by W.D. & H.O . Wills (New 


Zealand) Ltd . in respect of the "G" Factory at Petone was 

approved in accordance with memorandum submitted . 

l S 

I

S 

0 

Tuesday, let February 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra, Wells and 


A proposal that Mr . R.J.E. Price should be transferred 

to the staff of M.T.D. with effect from the 3s t February 1955 , 

as Resident Director at Kuala Lumpur, was approved. It was 

recommended that his salary from M.T.D . should be Straits $3,500 

per month and his pension grading £3,500 per annum. It was 

further recommended that B .A.T . should pay Mr . Price an additional 

salary at the rate of £7u0 p .a ., payable in Hong Kong, in respect 

of the services he will render to B .A.T . and its associated 

companies in the Far East . 

A letter from Mr. Moore was read about securing a 

house in Kuala Lumpur in view of Mr . Price's posting. It is 

impossible to rent a house in Kuala Lumpur but a suitable house 

is likely to come on the market at Straits 980,000 freehold . 

It was agreed that Mr. Moore should arrange for a valuation and 

survey of this house . 

2. It was reported that the Company had arranged for Mr . 

Roughton to receive certain medical treatment . Mr. Roughton has 

covered a part of the cost from his own personal insurance and it 

was agreed that the Company would bear the balance of £35 .16. 4 . 


I 

I

Wednesday, 2nd February 1955 . 

Mr . Oppenheim and Mr. McAra present . 

1 . The Chairman submitted an organisational chart showing 

the Directors and Senior Members of the staff of the Company 

and an outline of their duties. This was approved . It was 

agreed that the Chairman should send a copy of the chart to 

heads of territories n their personal capacity (except Jordan, 

Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopiahand Israel) . A supply would also be sent 

to Mr. Yeaman for despatch at Louisvil3e 'a discretion to Louisville 

supervised territories. The chart will also be circulated t o 

the heads of departments at head office and to the U .K. Factories. 

2. It was reported that Mr . H. Shuttleworth, a temporary 

payroll employee at Liverpool, had died on the 6th January 1955 . 

Mr . Shuttleworth joined the Company as a temporary employee in 

19141 at a time when no employees were being taken on to the 

permanent payroll . In 1947, when transfers to the permanent 

payroll were being considered, Mr . Shuttleworth was excluded because 

he was over 50 years of age . If he had been transferred to the 

permanent staff and included in the Pensions Fund, his widow would 

have received a pension of 25/- a week, and it was agreed in the 

circumstances that the Company should grant Mrs . Shuttleworth an 

allowance at the rate of 25/- a week, with effect from the 7th 

January 1955, 


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CO 

C.T1 

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0 

Thursday, 3rd February 1955 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra present. 

1. A draft circular letter summarising the points to 

remember and the pitfalls to be avoided when corresponding 

with B.A.T's associated companies, or with third parties 

about those companies, was submitted and approved. It was 

agreed that the letter should be sent to Directors and 

Heads of Departments at head office . 

2. Particulars of retirements for which calculations 

have been made on the normal basis between 29th December 195)4 

and 31st January 1955 were submitted and approved. 


0 

Friday. 4th February 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant and McAra present . 

The Chairman referred to the appeal from the Outward 

Bound Trust for contributions to its Central Fund for capital 

costs in building schools in Malaya (at Lumut) and in Kenya . 

Mr . Moore (Malaya) considers that Straits 93,000 would be an 

appropriate amount for M.T.D . to give . It was recommended that 

we should give to the Central Fund here - 

on behalf of M.T.D. £350 (approximately the 

equivalent of Straits 

93,000 ) 

and on behalf of East African 

Tobacco Co.Ltd. (subject 

to Mr . Rogers' approval) £650 

making a total contribution or £1,000 

2 . Letter was read from the London Municipal Society, 

appealing for funds in view of the forthcoming L.C .C Elections. 

The Company has given 100 guineas to this Society at intervals 

since 1927 and it was recommended that we should give 100 guineas 

now. 


I

Monday, 7th February 1955 . 

P 

Messrs . Sargent, McAra and Ridley present . 

1. Mr. Ridley reported to the meeting on the result of 

his visit to Holland . 

2. The case of Mrs. Harran was considered. Mrs. Harran is 

the widow of Mr . C .R . Harran, an employee of Yee Taoong Tobacco 

Company who died in 1943 during internment by the . Japanese . 

Mrs . Harran is in poor, health and has applied to the Company 

for assistance . She now la s no funds of her own and is receiving 

£3 .15. 0. per week from the Public Assistance Board. As any ex 

gratia payment which the Company might make to her in excess of 

10/6d . .per week would in fact result in a pro rata reduction in 

the amount she receives from Public Assistance, it was recommended 

ir ) 

that 44w--should make Mrs . Harran a compassionate grant of 

10/6d . per week . 

3. Memcr andum was read concerning the proposed secondment 


of T .A .H. Slack from Nigeria to B .A. T. Mr. Slack is entitled 

to home leave which expires on the 17th March. It was recommend- 

ed that Nigerian Tobacco Company should pay Mr . Slack his home 

leave salary and allaffances up to and including 17th March and 

that he should be seconded to B .A.T . with effect from the 18th 

March, at his present salary of £2,500 per annum and pension 

grading of £2,273 per annum. As Mr. Slack will in fact be 

working for B.A .T . from the 11th January to the 17th March, it 

was agreed that he should be paid a daily allorance for this 

period at the rate of 94 .10.0. per day . 

)'3

9 

1. 

Tuesday . 8th February 1955. 

Messrs. Sargent, McAra and Ridley present . 

Expenditure not exceeding Rs-3,50,000 by The 

Imperial Tobacco Company of India on housing at Madras was 

approved . The proposal is to acquire one acre of ground in 

the Adyar Estate, Madras, and to build a house on this plot 

and to build a further house on a plot already owned by 

Imperial of India in the Adyar Estate . 

Wednesday, 9th February 1955 . 

Messrs. Sargant, McAra and Ridley present . 

It was reported that our associated company in 

Indonesia had purchased a plot of land at Bandung, to which 

reference was made in Note No .1 of the 9th December 1954 . 

A'proposal that the Indonesian Company should erect two semi- 

detached houses on this site at an expenditure not exceeding 

one million Rupiahs was approved . 

2. Memorandum was read concerning the power supply 

Re-dryin g 

for the Chirala and Anaparti/Factories . The present plant 


has been in operation for twenty years and can no longer be 

maintained at the required standard. It is proposed to 

discontinue power producing at both re-drying factories and to 

purchase A.C . current from the Government System, the supply 

of which is now assured . The conversion will be spread over 

a period of three years and is estimated to cost a total of 

Rs.6,48,800 . This expenditure was approved .

11 

Thursday, 10th February 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra and Ridley 

present . 

1. Mr . Sargent referred to Mr . C .W .C . Hughes, who was 

formerly employed in China and who has just completed a 

visit to study certain African markets . As it will not be 

possible to continue placing Mr . Hughes suitably, it was agreed 

that a settlement should be made with him on the same terms as 

for other employees for whom we could not find suitable employ- 

ment when they came out of China . 

2. A proposal that Mr. D.F . Godwin, who is Ardath's Factory 

Manager at Worship Street, should be transferred to B .A.T. on 

the manufacturing side, with effect from the let March 1955, at 

a salary at the rate of £1, 875 per annum, w as approved for 

submission to the Board. It is proposed that Mr. Godwin 

should spend approximately six months at Liverpool Factory 

studying our methods of manufacture and that during this period 

he should be paid appropriate living expenses . On the satis- 

factory conclusion of this period he would be appointed Assistant 

Factory Manager at Southampton . 


S 

Friday, 11th February 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra and Ridley 

present . 

1. It was recommended that the procedure for authorising 

the appointment or the transfer of employees to the permanent 

staff, or the permanent factory payroll of the Company, should 

be amended as follows :- 

1 . Salaries up to £599 per annum to be approved 

by the Personnel Manager or the Personnel 

Adviser . 

2. Salaries from £600 to £1,249 per annum to be 

approved by the Personnel Adviser or a Deputy 

Chairman . 

3. Salaries of £1,250 per annum and upwards to be 

approved by the Board . 

2 . Memorandum was read concerning the suggested new 

pension arrangements for overseas covenanted staff and Messrs . 

Misselbrook, Barnett and Sayers were asked to a ttend the meeting . 

In the main, these proposals would bring the pension benefits 

for overseas covenanted staff on to the same basis as for home 

staff; i.e . three-quarters of pensionable salary for a full 

period of service, with a right to commute up to 25% of the 

pension . Leaving gratuities would cease and there would be 

pension benefits for widows and children on a similar basis to 

home staff. 

Retirement dates would also be revised as follows :- 

Short service - 54 years, 4 months 

Medium service - 57 years 

Long service - 63 years . 

The cost of funding these ben!fits in respect of back 

service would be approximately £2,000,000 . 

The above proposals were agreed in principle and a 

letter will be sent to territories overseas for their conaidera- 

tion . 


cvs9so

E 

Tuesday, 15th February 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant and McAra present . 

1. A list was submitted, showing the total refunds due to 

certain employees, representing relinquishments of salary 

under Sun Life Schemes Nod . 3 and 4 which now have to be 

refunded to the employees as a result of the new pension 

arrangements. Refunds will be made to the employees by such 

instalments as may be agreed between the Company and the 

employee concerned and, in the event of the death of an employee 

before the total amount has been refunded, the balance due will 

be paid to his estate . 

The list was initialled and signed by the Chairman for 

identification. 

r 

2. Additional capital expenditure by East African Tobacc o 

Company, as detailed in a memorandum dated 8th February 1955, 

amounting to E.A.Sh.562,660, was approved . 

3. A proposal by Imperial of India to erect a building on 

4. 

5 . 

land behind the Chowringhee office, comprising garages and 

bicycle shed on the ground floor and a canteen on the first 

floor, at a total estimated .expenditure of Rs .130,000, was 

approved . 


It was agreed that, in future, requests from Thrissell 

Engineering Company for permission to quote for IV B Stemming 

Machines should be decided by the Manufacturing Department and 

the territorial director concerned. Only in the event of any 

doubt should the matter be referred to this meeting . 

It was reported that in a few cases it would be of 

benefit to members of the female staff to remain under the old 

pension arrangements, rather than to come under the new arrange- 

ments . It was agreed that those who elect to stay under the 

old arrangements should be permitted to commute up to one-quarte 

of the total pension and permanent allowance,but not the 

temporary allowance, for a lump sum payment . 

f

1. 

2. 

Wednesday, 16th February 195x . 


Mr . Sargant referred to a suggestion that Mr . D.O . 

Seymour, Sales Manager in Holland, might be transferred to 

Malta to replace Mr . Pattison, who is taking up duties with 

the Research and Development Centre here later this year . 

The proposal is that Mr . Seymour should be transferred about 

two months before Mr . Pattison leaves and that his pension 

grading on transfer should remain at £2,181 for the time being . 

This proposal was approved in principle . 


Messrs . Oppenheim, Gough, Sargent and McAra present . 

Memorandum was read concerning a Canadian Type 

Cleaning and Classifying Plant which it is proposed to instal 

in Southampton Branch at a net cost of F37,850 . The Cleaning 

and Classifying Plant developed by the Vokes-Cardwell Company 

and B .A .T. is already installed in the Liverpool Factory and the 

intention is to have the Canadian Type of Plant at Southampton 

so that a comparison can then be made between the two different 

Plants at Liverpool and Southampton in respect of performance 

and quality of product . This expenditure was approved. 

Following Mr . Crolard's visit to India, a proposal 

has been made that Tribeni Tissues Ltd . should acquire four 

additional refiners at a cost of £10,890, to put them in a 

position to increase their production from the present level of 

200 tons of paper per month to 260 tons per month. This 

proposal was approved. 


It was reported that Mr . T.L . Pike, who is assistant 

factory manager (Personnel) at Liverpool Factory, attains 56 

years of age this year and a recommendation that Mr . Pike should 

retire at 31st December 1955 was approved .

0 

4. 

It was reported that the grant of £2,500 which was 

made to the Personnel Department in December 1952, to be used 

for Staff Amenities and Sporting Activities at Head Office and 

the Factories, had now been expended, and details of how the 

money had been used were submitted . It was agreed that a 

further grant of £2,500 should be made to the Personnel Depart- 

ment to be used for similar purposes . 

Friday, 18th February 1955 , 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent and McAra present . 

Mr. Sargent submitted a proof of Capstan 25s 

laube box for Ships' Stores and naval trade . T>Qadesign,which 

follows that of the 50s box, was approved and will be submitted 

to Imperial for their comments . 


L9 

I 

I

Monday, 21st February 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent and LicAra present . 

1. The Chairman referred to the possibility of acquiring 

a suitable country house for use as a residential training 

centre for pupil courses and other courses organised by the 

Company, and a memorandum by Mr. Lewison giving a rough estimate 

of the possible cost was read . The proposal was agreed in 

principle and Personnel Department were authorised to look for 

a suitable property, when a more definite estimate of the cost 

will be submitted . 

2. Mr. McAra reported that Deloittes had asked that their 

fee for auditing B .A.T . 'a accounts for the year to September 

1955 should be increased from 5,000 guineas to 6,000 guineas . 

This was agreed to. 

3. Memorandum was read about the additional power supply 

which is required by Eastern Company, and Mr. Bristow was asked 

to attend the meeting . The additional power is required in view 

of increased local Virginia manufacture and the purchase by 

Eastern Company of additional equipment to increase the generating 

capacity, at an estimated cost of £65,000, was approved. 


N) 

CD 

O 

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110 

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0 

Wednesday . 23rd February 1955 . 

CWUAIIAI 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent and McAra present. 

1. A print of the proposed offer for sale in Ceylon by B .A.T . 

of 200,000 shares of Rs .lO each in Ceylon Tobacco Company was 

submitted and approved, subject to a small alteration of the 

wording under the heading "Prospects" . It was agreed that the 

shares should be offered at the price of Ra .ll per share, B.A .T . 

paying all expenses of the offer. 

2. It was agreed that Mr. T .E . Davies should be appointed an 

Assistant Secretary of the Company . 

3. Mr. Sargent referred to the Government Decree in Holland 


under which the salaries and pensions of Government servants 

have been increased by 6%. All commercial concerns have 

followed suit and Mr. Boerma is anxious that the pensions of 

former employees of B .A.T. (Holland) should be increased by 

this amount. It was agreed that Mr . Gelathorp should examine 

this matter in conjunction with Mr. Barnett . 

3 1

is 



1. With reference to note No .3 of the 23rd February, it 

was agreed, as shareholders, to accept Mr. Boerma's recommenda- 

tion that pensions of former employees of B .A.T. (Holland) 

should be increased by 6%. The cost will be approximately 

F1 .4,000 per annum . 

2. Mr . Sargent read a letter from Mr . Norman Jones to Mr . 

Hunt about the Fiji project . A letter has now been received 

from the Colonial Secretary, setting out the Government's pro- 

posals for rates of excise and customs duty concessions, which 

will be placed before the Legislative Council . The propose d 

rates of duty would be guaranteed for a period of three years . 

It was agreed that this letter could be accepted as sufficient 

assurance of the Government's intention and that, accordingly, 

the Fiji project should be proceeded with . 

Friday, 25th February 1955 . 


Messrs. Oppenheim, Gough, Sargent and McAra present . 

With reference to note of the 16th February concerning 

the proposed transfer of Mr. D.O . Seymour to Malta Tobacco 

Company later in the year, it was agreed that Mr . Seymour 

should make a short visit to Malta at an early data to make 

arrangements in connection with his proposed transfer. 

N 

CD i

Monday. 28th February 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent and MoAra present . 

The Meeting considered whether the Company should 

revive the pre-war practice of sending to stockholders a 

reprint of the Chairman's Speech at,the Annual General .Meeting . 

As there has been no request from stoekholdera .for this to be 

done and a full report of the Speech already appears in "The 

Times" and "The Financial Times", it was decided not to resum e 

the practice for the time being . 

Tuesday, let March 1955 . 


1 . Mr. Sargant reported that Gallaher had notified us 

that, under the "escalator" clause, the following changes in 

prices in respect of their manufacture for us would be effective 

from is t January 1955 : - 

SENIOR SERVICE - increased from 15/6d .to 15/9d . 

per thousand 

TORCHLIGHT - reduced from 12/3d. to 12/per 

thousand . 

2. It was recommended that Mr . R.P . Dobson's salary 

3. 

4 . 

should be at the rate of £3,500 p.a., effective from the date 

he takes up his appointment with B .A.T . at head office . 

A list of machinery which. is urgently required in Fiji 

for the new factory project there was submitted and a total 

expenditure of £37,500 in respect of this was approved . 

A letter was read from Mr . Yeaman reporting that the 

question of royalty on RALEIGH and KOOL cigarettes manufactured 

by "La Moderna" had recently been the subject of conversations 

between Messrs. Bruton, Prince and Bowers (of "La Moderna" 

Company) . As a result of these discussions, it was recommended 

33 

that the royalty which has previously been at the rate of 2 cents 

per thousand should be increased to at the rate of 10 cents per 

thousand on K00 . cigarettes and on RALEIGH Plain, Cork Tipped and 


Filter Tipped cigarettes . This recommendation was agreed to .

Wednesday . 2nd March 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent and McAra present . 

1. Memorandum by Mr. Ridley dated 1st March was read, 

referring to the plane for the proposed Research and Development 

Centre which were approved on the 26th January 1955 . It now 

appears that additional space will be required in the bonded 

Development Hall to use and operate satisfactorily an M.'1 . S. 

Sheet making machine and ancillary equipment . In order to 

provide for this the plans have been redesigned and this will 

entail giving up the Leaf Store in that block. The revised 

plans were approved . 

2. A request from Mr. I .H . Mason for a loan from the 

Company of £1,200 to assist him in meeting certain expenses which 

have arisen since his transfer to the United Kingdom, including 

the purchase of a house, Was considered and Mr . Clarke was asked 

to attend the meeting . It was recommended that the Company 

should grant Mr. Mason a loan of £1,200, to be repayable at 21% 

interest in monthly instalments, ending at his earliest retirement 

date. 

3. It was reported that during the war the German Company 


had made an agreement with Mr . Petrak for the use of certain 

patents invented by him andthat under the agreement the Company 

had'paid him a lump sum of M.30,000 in respect of the use o f 

the patents in Germany. The German Company now propose to pay 

Mr. Petrak DM.10,000 in settlement of all claims for use of 

these patent rights outside Germany . (Mr. Bodde was then asked 

to attend the meeting ) . After discussion, it was agreed that 

the German Company should make this payment to Mr . Petrak in 

settlement of all claims, provided it is made quite clear that 

all patent rights are vested in the German Company. It wa s 

also agreed that in future it should be made clear to Mr . Petrak 

and other employees in Germany that any inventions which they 

may make in the course of their employment are the property of

6 

4 

1 . 

2. 

the Company . 

Particulars of retirements for which calculations 

have been made on the normal basis between let February and 

28th February 1955were submitted and approved . 

Thursday, 3rd March 1955 . 


Mr. Oppenheim read a letter from Sir Geoffrey 

Shakespeare, asking the Company to subscribe to the Industrial 

Co-partnership Association, to which a number of le ading Companies 

(including I .C.I . and Imperial) already belong . Imperial say 

that they have found the Association useful,in several ways an d 

a. 

it was recommended that the Company should subscribe £100 tb.a 

year. .ti,. F1(:., "-Cl 

A list of newspapers in which it is proposed to 

advertise the Chairman's Speech at the Annual General Meeting 

was approved on the same basis as for last year . 

3. With reverence to Note No .6 of the 17th January 1955, 

it was reported that the offer of Straits $750 per acre, which 

was made through the Hongkong & Shanghai Bank for the Seaport 

site at Kuala Lumpur, had been rejected and that the Bank say 

that to secure the property it may be necessary to offer between 

Straits ,3,500 and 4,000 per acre . It was agreed to authorise 

the Bank to offer up to Straits $2,500 per acre as our final 

offer . 

LI. Mr . Ridley reported that the weight carrying capacity 

of the floors of the Bee Mills property at Liverpool, for which 

the Company had made an offer of £27,000, was now found to be 

unsatisfactory and a very large sum would be required to remedy 

the position . In the circumstances, it was agreed that our 

offer should be withdrawn . 


N 

Ca 

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5. Memorandum concerning Mr. R.C . Lee (Cash Office) 

was read. Mr. Lee has been absent on sick leave since 2nd 

June 2954, suffering from tuberculosis . A recommendation that 

sick leave should be extended for a further period of three 

months from the 2nd March,on full salary, was approved for 

submission to the Board . 


Friday, 4th March 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra and Ridley 

present. 

1. The existing designation of territories as Long, 

Medium and Short for the purpose of the Q .P.F. was considered, 

and it was agreed that Mauritius and East Africa, which are at 

present Short Service territories, should be re-designated as 

Medium Service territories. It was also agreed that Louisville 

should be asked to consider whether any of the territories which 

they supervise should be re-designated . 

2. Mr. Sargent mentioned that a number of members of the 

staff at Head Office with quite long service had never seen a 

cigarette factory and that it had been suggested that arrangement s 

might be made for them to visit a factory for a day. It was 

agreed there was no ob$5ction to this in principle and Mr . Potter 

will be asked to prepare a scheme for consideration . 

3. Memorandum dated 3rd March by Mr . Ridley was read, 

concerning the proposed sale by Tobacco Leaf Development Co . 

(Jamaica) Ltd. of the Colbeck Estate . On the advice of Mr. 

Girling, Imperial considered that Machado's offer of £25,000 fo r 

the Estate was too low and they have suggested that T .L .D. should 

accept £35,000 for the whole Estate,or a near figure, and that 

failing such offer being made the Estate should be put up for 

sale by auction at the beginning of April . It was agreed to 

suggest to Mr . Prince that Machado should offer £30,000 net for 

the whole Estate and that, if the offer is not accepted, it should 

be put up for auction on the lst April . 

1+. Mr . Ridley read a letter from Mr . Bruton, suggesting 

that Mr. Tankersley, who is in charge of the Brazilian Companies' 

leaf organisation, should visit England and perhaps the Continent 

in June of this year . This was agreed to and Mr . Ridley will 

arrange for Mr. Tankersley to accompany him on his visit to 

Turkey in June . 


I 

95S8SOLOZ

Monday, 7th March 19 45 5. 

Messrs. Oppenheim, 8argant, MoAra and Ridley 

present , 

1. Mr . McAra reported that, following the increase in the 

Bank Rate, he tad arranged with Imperial that the interest on 

the money we have advanced to them on call (at present £5,000,000) 

should be 1% below Bank Rate with a minimum of 3%, this arrange- 

ment to continue as long as the Bank Rate is not ]a as than 3% . 

2. Reference was made to the financial situation of Maspero 

Israel. As the expected loan to the tobacco trade from the 

Government to finance leaf purchases has been cut down, Maspero 

urgently requires further assistance . It was agreed to arrange 

for a loan to be made to Maspero through Samuel Montagu of the 

equivalent in Israeli Z . of £60,000 Sterling, interest free . 

3. Mr. Sargant read to the meeting some lettera from 


Machado about the possibility of certain cigars manufactured 

by Temple Hall and shipped to Lambert & Butler being infested 

with weevil, which may entail their examination at this end .

0 

Tuesday, 8th March 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra and Ridley 

present . 

1. The Chairman read a letter from Mr. Geldart, quoting 

an extract from the report of the Taxation Enquiry Committee 

in India . The Committee recommends that an expert enquiry 

should be held at an early date into the possibility of setting 

up fiscal monopolies in certain commodities with a view to 

increasing revenue, and tobacco is mentioned amongst these 

commodities. 

As this is a problem which may have to be faced not 

only in India but elsewhere, it was agreed that we should 

arrange for a fully documented brief to be prepared, showing 

the advantages of private enterprise as against monopoly in the 

tobacco industry, and that Sir Harry Greenfield should be asked 

to undertake this work . 

2 List of retirements due to take place during the 


ensuing year was submitted and approved .

Wednesday, 9th March 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppeni.eim, McAra and Ridley present . 

1. It was reported that a letter addressed to Westminster 

Tobacco Company Limited, which is a member or the Anglo-Israel 

Chamber of Comne rce, had been received from Mr . Van den Bergh of 

Unilever, who asked for a donation towards the expenses of a 

concert to be given by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at the 

Royal Festival Hall in June 1955. Mr . Bristow was asked to 

attend the meeting and it was agreed that, as it did not appear 

that the Company would derive any benefit from making such a 

donation, the Secretary of Westminster Tobacco Company Limited 

should reply that the Company did not feel justified in making a 

donation. 

2. Letter from the Imperial was read, stating that the 

Southern Rhodesia Marketing Board would again like the T .A.C. 

to show an exhibit of representative samples suitable for the 

U.K. on the auction floors and at the Salisbury Agricultural 

Show. Imperial suggested that the cost of the exhibit should 

be divided on the same basis as last year, viz : Imperial pay one 

half and the other half is divided equally between B .A.T., 

GodfrW Phillips, Carreras and Gallaher . This suggestion was 

agreed . 

3. Doctor's certificate relating to Mr . Wells was read and 

it was agreed that Mr . Wells should take leave of absence until 

after the Whitsun holiday. 


0 

Thursda 10th March 1955 . 


1 . The Chairman submitted a memorandum showing our 

durations of Rhodesian leaf. It was agreed to authorise the 

Leaf Department to negotiate an agreement on similar terms to 

A r, 

last year for the purchase on behalf of Gallaher of 2,000,000 The 

dry weight . 

2. Letter was read from Robert Anspach, enclosing a letter 

he had received from a firm called BACCARA in France, requesting 

permission to produce silk squares bearing a reproduction of 

"Player's" and "Gold Flake" packings. They already have 

permission to do this for Regis brands . It was agreed there 

was no objection to this provided the prints are first submitted 

to us for our approval and that they bear a complete and accurate 

reproduction of the packings concerned . 


0 

Friday, 11th March 1955 . 


1. It was agreed that the Company should continue its 

membership of the China Association at the reduced subscription 

of fifty guineas per annum and that Mr . Loudon should represent 

the Company on the Committee. 

2. Letter was read from Dr. Buch about the claim against 

Achenbach Sbhne for approximately £13,000, representing payment 

in advance for machinery shortly before the outbreak of war, the 

contract being frustrated before the machinery was delivered. 

The lawyers for Achenbach S8hne still maintain their contention 

that the .claim is payable in German currency as devalued, which 

in effect means that the claim is limited to 10% of the origina l 

payment . 


Monday. 14th March 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra and Ridley 

present . 

1. Letter to Mr .-Oppenheim from the Industrial Managemen t 

Research Association was read about the Association's desire t o 

enlarge its Executive to include one representative from each 

of its member firms ; that is, a total of about 30. It was 

agreed to suggest Mr. Loudon as B .A.l''s representative on the 

Executive . 

2. It was reported that Mr . Daniels had been away sick 

for five weeks. Arising out of this case, it was agreed that 

pensioners who are employed on a temporary basis should, i t 

10 they are away sick, receive full pay for a period of two months 

4 3 

and that the matter should then go to the Board for consideration . 

3. The case of Mr. W. Warner, who was formerly employed in 

4 . 

China, was considered. Mr. Warner resigned in 1947 and on the 

termination of his a mployment received the equivalent of one 

year's salary. He is now ill and his wife has asked the Company 

to grant him a pension. The matter has been referred to Mr . 

Tiencken, who knows of no special circumstances in this case . 

Mr . Warner resigned before pensionable age, and it was agreed 

that there was no occasion to do anything more in this case . 

Memorandum was read concerning a proposed extension to 

the No .2 Factory at Giza. The proposal is to extend the 

factory to provide o er the next four years a capacity of 

500 million a month. The cost of the initial phase, including 

the cost of building, will be £E111,050, and additional equipment 

will be ordered in two phases . Phase 1, costing £E73,580 , 

will extend to 1957, and Phase 2, costing £E79,320, will be 

completed in 1958/59. The total cost will therefore be 

£E263,950 and this was approved. 


5. A further memorandum about additional storage space 

required by Eastern Company was read . The existing storage 

consists of three modern warehouses at El Zomor and one old type 

Sarkissian warehouse . It is proposed to sell the Sarkissian 

property and to build a new double storey building at El Zomor 

at a total cost of £E35,000. This expenditure was approved. 

6 . Letter was read from the Office Management Association, 

to which the Company pays an annual subscription of 15 guineas . 

The Association has a Development Fund to which a number of the 

leading companies contribute £100 a year . Personnel Department 

say that we have found this Association of considerable use in 

the matter of office mechanisation and it was agreed that the 

Company should make a contribution to the Development Fund of 

£100 this year, the matter to be reviewed annually . 

Tuesday, 15th March 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Gough, Sargant, McAra and Ridley 

present . 

It was agreed that Mr . Loudon should attend the 

Conference organised by the International Chamber of ComrWrce 

in Tokyo next May and that he should take the opportunity o f 

bringing himself up to date on the Far East countries during 

his return journey . 


0 

Thursday, 17th March 1955 . 


present . 

Z. Mr . McAra reported that Rift Valley Cigarette 

Company is estimated to require further funds amounting 

approximately to £30,000 up to the end of the June quarter . 

This is additional to the £15,000 authorised on the 6th 

January 1955. It w as agreed that these funds should be 

made available and the matter would be discussed with Mr . 

Gelsthorp on his return. 

2. Mr . Sargent reported that Reemtsma is causing trouble 


lf ~r 

over the DTJBEC brand of van Kerckhof which H.A.T . (Deutschland) 

is manufacturing in Germany under agreement with van Kerekhof . 

Mr. von Reitzenstein is coming over next Tuesday to discuss 

this and other matters relating to Reemtsma .

a 

Tuesday, 22nd March 1955 . 

caaud- 4-j~ 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra and Ridley 

present . 

1. It was reported that it had been agreed with Mr . Cecil 

Mason :- 

1 . That SENIOR SERVICE for export should be 70 mm 

mm 

x 251/x, 26 to the oz ., this giving a better 

filled cigarette than the present one of 254 mm 

circumference. Mr. Mason stated that the home 

market cigarette is now 70 mm x 25.82 mm, 25 to the 

oz * 

2. That the blend would be the same as the improve d 

home blend but without Oriental for the time being . 

3. That it would be investigated whether Guernsey could 

manufacture from imported cut rag to the exact size 

and weight of the home cigarette, in which case 

Jersey would manufacture up to the new size and 

weight . 

2. Mr. Sargant reported that B .A .T . Co .Ltd. (Extension Suisse), 

which is already putting out LIi cigarettes, also wanted to pu t 

S out LIFE tobacco in pouch packing . Before agreeing to this, it 

was decided that Mr . Sargant should write to Louisville for their 

views . 


0 

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Wednesday, 23rd March 1955 . 


Mr. Sargant read a letter from Mr . Moore, Singapore, 

about the house which it is proposed M .T .D . should build at 

Kuala Lumpur . Two possible sites are available at 50 cents 

per square foot . It was agreed that site No-107 was preferable, 

comprising 48,000 square feet, the total cost of the site being 

approximately £2,700 . It was agreed to cable Mr . Moore to 

purchase this site and that the plans of the proposed house 

should be referred to the Project Department for its consideration . 

Thursday, 24th March 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Gough, Sargent, McAra and Ridley 

present . 

Memorandum dated 13th March 1955 was submitted, 

covering proposed capital expenditure by Cie Congolaise de s 

Tabacs amounting to Belgian Frs .759,000 in respect of Stanleyville 

Factory Phase 2, Housing and other Fixed Assets. This expenditure 

was approved. 


1 . 

Friday . 25th March 1955 . 


present . 

Mr. McAra explained that there was a possibility that 

Durham Investment Company Limited might be able to dispose of 

its shares in Zentralbad and Kuranstalt G .m .b.H., which own s 

the Vienna Baths property . It was agreed that it was desirable 

.to dispose of these shares if it could be done on reasonable 

terms and Mr . McAra will investigate the matter further and 

report to the meeting . 

2. Letters were read from the Industrial Management 

Research Association and the Trade Marks, Patents & Design s 

10 Federation . It was agreed to recommend to the Board that we 

0 

should make the following contributions to these associations 

for the current year :- 


I.M.R.A. £250 

Trade Marks, 

Patents & Designs 

Federation 150 guineas . 

P

E 

Monday, 28th March 195 5 


pre sent . 

1. Letter from Mr. Prince to Mr . Oppenheim was read, saying 

that he had recommended that our associated companies in the 

West Indies should make the following contributions to the 

Princess Alice Appeal for the University College of the West 

Indies and its Teaching Hospita 

. & J.B. Machado Tobacc o 

l B 

Co. Ltd., Jamaica. £6,000 over 7 years 

Demerara Tobacco Co.Ltd . , 

British Guiana. £500 over 2 years 

B.A.T . Co. (Barbados) Ltd., £500 

Barbados . 

The West Indian Tobacco Co .Ltd. , 

Trinidad. £1,000. 

It was agreed to recommend to the Board that B .A.T . 

should give £500 in view of its export business to the West 

Indies . 

It was agreed that Mr . Schreiber should retire on the 

31st December 1956, by which time he will have attained 63 

years. Mr. Schreiber has received a tentative offer from 

10 Papeteries Bollore to act after his retirement as part time 

technical adviser to Bollore. This would permit Mr . Schreiber 

to live in a warmer climate on his retirement, which he as been 

advised to do . It was agreed there was no objection to his 

accepting this offer. 

3. Mr . MoAra submitted particulars of proposed increases in 

salary to certain Directors of Imperial Tobacco Company of 

Canada Ltd., which were considered to be reasonable . 

4. Memorandum was read concerning Mr . G.G . Dumbill, formerly 


employed by MIC, Saigon, and now at Southampton Factory. Mr . 

Dumbill has been away sick since let October 1954, suffering 

from tuberculosis, but it is hoped that he will be fit again in 

R9gRg0107 

I

0 

two months' time. It was recommended that his sick leave 

should be extended on full pay for a further three months , 

or until his earlier return to work . 

Tuesday. 29th VeM . 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, MoAra and Ridley 

present . 

1. Mr. Sargant referred to M . T.D's need of additional 

housing in place of rented accommodation and plans were 

submitted, showing possible phases of development of th e 

land owned by M.T.D . at Nassim Road and Dalvey Road, Singapore . 

It was agreed to recommend to M .W .D . that they should adopt 

phases 1 (A) and 2 (A) . 

2. It was agreed to suggest to B.A.T. (Hong Kong) that 

they should give consideration to liquidating Alliance Tobacco 

Company (China) Ltd ., Mural Brothers & Co.Ltd. and Mustard & 

Co.Ltd., as these Companies now fulfil no useful purpose . 


5V

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2. 

1. 

Thursday, 3lst March 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, McAre and Ridley 

present . 

Mr. Ridley referred to the Research and Development 

Project and explained the steps which were being taken t o 

find a suitable person to act as Head of Research and Development . 

He thought a Dr . B. Raistrick, who is at present employed by 

I .C .I ., would prove to be very suitable and Dr . Raistrick is 

being interviewed again next Thursday . 

In connection with this project, it was also agreed 

on the advice of the Architects and the Contractors to order 

up to £10,000 worth of steel . 


Letter was read from Reuters about Reuters' City 

Ticker, for which at present we pay a rent of £300, plus £19 

line fee . Owing to the greatly increased costs, they now 

feel obliged to increase the charge to £450 p.a., inclusive . 

It was agreed to accept this increased charge .

0 

Monday . 14th April, 1955 , 


present . 

1. Mr . Sargent referred to B .A.'T's contribution to 

Ardath's expenditure on STATE EXPRESS 555 home advertising . 

The basis of our contribution for 1954/55 had been agreed at 1/- 

per mille plus £5,000, which, on the estimated sales of 160 

million for 1954/55, would have amounted to a total of £13,000 . 

The sales in fact will be considerably less and Ardath have 

asked whether B.A.T. would make up the short-fall for 1954/5 5 

to £13,000 . It was agreed that we should offer to pay half the 

short-fall. It was also agreed that for 1955/56 we should 

offer to contribute 2/- per mille with no additional payment. 

2. Letter was read from George Dobie & Sons, saying that 

they were surprised to find that importers in Nigeria would not 

handle the Dobie brands because they are confined by their agree- 

ments with us to handling B .A.T . brands only. They added that 

they could not understand why B .A.T . should insist on importers 

retailing only B.A.T. brands. It was agreed that this raised an 

important point which needed serious consideration on the spot , 

S and the matter will be referred to Mr. Gelsthorp. In the mean- 

time, Dobie & Sons will be told that the matter has been taken 

up with Nigeria . 

3. The following particulars of capital expenditure by 

the under-mentioned Companies were submitted and approved :- 

Nigerian Tobacco Company Limited £10,91 3 

Cie Congolaise de Tabacs B .Fre .579,053. 

4. Particulars of appointments to the temporary and 

permanent staff between lst January and 31st March 1955 were 

submitted, together with comparative figures with the total 

number of staff. 


Tueadw , 5th April 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, McAra and Ridley present . 

1 . Letter was read from the South Georgia Survey 1955/56, 

asking for a donation towards the cost of the third and last 

survey expedition to South Georgia . It was considered that 

the Company was not sufficiently interested to justify a 

donation but it was agreed that the Company should give the 

Expedition - which consists of eight men - 100 The of tobacco 

and 10,000 cigarettes, free . 

2. A proposal that Pioneer Tobacco Company should build a 

leaf store/re-drying plant at Kumasi at an e atimated cost of 

£50,000 was approved. This is in place of the proposed leaf 

store estimated to cost £20,000 for which approval was sought 

in May, 1953. 

3. It was reported that the proxy which we hold from Imperial 

was now out of date and that Imperial had suggested .a new one 

might be given in favour of Sir Robert Sinclair, Mr . Oppenheim, 

Mr. Sargent and Mr. McAra . This was agreed to . 

44 Letter was read from the British Swedish Chamber of 

Commerce in Sweden, suggesting the Company might apply for 

membership at the cost of 10 guineas. It was considered the 

Company did not do sufficient business with Sweden to justify 

membership . 


Fj 

I

Thursday, 7th April 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, McAra and Ridley present . 

1. The meeting considered a request received from the 

factories for an increase from £100,000 to £150,000 in the 

Customs Bond covering delivery from warehouse of tobacco 

samples without payment of duty. This request has now been 

withdrawn and it was agreed that the factories should be 

instructed by the Director in charge of U .K . factories that, 

in future, the procedure for sampling should be as follow 

received and will not retain the samples beyond the minimum 

period of three months allowed by the Customs, which will 

thereby entitle us to the minimum allowance, duty free, of 

4oz for each 4 lbs sample . 

2. Particulars of retirements for which calculation s 

have been made on the normal basis between let and 31st March 

1955 were submitted and approved . 

3. Memorandum was submitted requesting approval for additional 


expenditure by Nigerian Tobacco Company on the Zaria Re-drying 

Plant, amounting to £24,387 . The sum of £193,133 has already 

been authorised and this makes a total of £217,520 . 

s 

s We will sample up to 10 per cent of leaf package

Tuesday, 1 th April 1955 . 


present. 

1. With reference to Note No.2 of the 4th April, Mr . 

Sargant reported that it had now been confirmed by our 

associated company in Nigeria that there was no restriction 

on distributors handling Dobie's brands or any opposition 

brands for retail, and Dobie's were being informed accordingly. 

2. Mr. Ridley reported the result of a further interview 

3. 

4 . 

with Dr. Raistrick, who has now been offered employment by us 

as head of the Research and Development Department. Dr. 

Raistrick is somewhat concerned at the expenses which he will 

incur as a result of moving his residence from Edinburgh to 

Southampton and it was agreed that Mr . Ridley should communicate 

with Dr . Raistrick in the following terms :- 

"At the interview we had with you on Thursday 

you explained that if you accepted employment with 

us you would have to incur considerable removal and 

refitting expenses . In the circumstances if you 

decide to accept our offer of employment the Company 

would, after the move has been completed, be prepared 

to reimburse to you your removal and refitting 

expenses, etc ., up to a maximum total reimbursement 

of £1,000 . It would be understood that you would 

submit to us an account of such expenses . " 

Mr. Ridley reported that a request had been received 

for photographs of Southampton Factory to be included in the 

official handbook on Southampton which is issued by th e 

Southampton Corporation . It was agreed there was no ob ction . 

It was reported that Mr. J.W. Anthony, head of Export 

(Shipping Bills) Department, Southampton, was still unfit to 

return to work. Mr. Anthony has been suffering from tubercu- 

losis since April 1954, and it was recommended that he should be 

given leave of absence on full pay for a further period of three 

months until the 22nd July . 


trL585O .O?

0 

Thursday, 114th Aoril 1955 . 


present . 

I. It was agreed that Mr . K.C . Bryant should explore with a 

responsible ofricial of P.C . Rettig & Co ., Helsinki, the 

possibilities of that Company being interested in acquiring 

Brown & Williamson (Export)la brand NORTH STATE and such other 

assets as 53uomen Tupakka may have available for sale . 

Should Rettig & Co. show any interest, then alternative 

bases on which such a deal might be made will be examined and 

further discussed with them . 

2 . Consideration was given to the Memorandum of 23rd March, 

1955 prepared by Mr . T .E . Davies in which he set forth the 

demands of the minority shareholders of K .D . & S. Ltd. for 

distribution of that Company's assets outside Israel . 

Having in mind possible developments in Israel it was 

agreed that, on the lines of the timetable suggested in para- 

graph (a) of the Memorandum, the following action should be 

taken : - 


1 . Lend the minority shareholders one-half of 

the amount shown in the last column of the 

statement attached to the Memorandum as 

reduced by the interest element . 

2. Release the share certificates held against 

existing loans early in 1956 . 

3 . Lend remaining one-half referred to in 1 above 

during 1956 . 

4 . The funds necessary to effect action under 

paragraphs 1 and 3 to be remitted by Near 

Eastern Holdings Ltd . against appropriate form

E 

0 


5. 

of letter from each shareholder . 

The suggestion contained in Mr. T.E . Davies' 

Memorandum of ]a t April, 1955 to be adopted 

regarding action under 2 above .

Friday, 15th April 1955 . 


present . 

1. The Chairman reported that Mr . Cecil Mason had 

telephoned to say that, in the event of our being able to mak e 

a 

a deal with ear. Abe Wier for the acquisition of the Benson & Hedges 

and Peter Jackson (Overseas) businesses, Gallaher would be 

prepared to pay £100,000 for Benson & Hedges home business . Mr . 

Mason also understands that Gallaher would have to pay a propor- 

tion of the cost of the shares in Benson & Hedges Ltd . which are 

held by Benson & Hedges (Overseas) Ltd . and Peter Jackson (Over- 

seas) Ltd. 

2 In view of the newspaper strike, which may delay publica- 

3. 

L4 . 

tion of the Chairman's speech in the national newspapers for some 

time, it was agreed that a printed copy of the speech should be 

circuIlated to all stockholders and those on the mailing list for 

balance sheets . 

Letter w as read from Aims of Industry asking for this 

Company's continued support . The Company has subscribed £500 a 

year since 1951 and it was agreed to make a similar subscription 

this year . 


Letter was read from The United Tobacco Companies (South) 

about a proposal to form a Company under the name of W.A . & H.O . 

Wills (Pty) Ltd. It was agreed that there was no objection to 

this, provided the Company handles Wills brands only, and tha t 

it was a matter for The U .T . Cos (South) to decide whether the 

Company should be merely a selling company for Willa brands or 

whether the Wills goodwill should be transferred to the Company .

Wednesday, 20th April 1955 . 

`"7 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra end Ridley and Bruton 

present. 

The Chairman reported the result of discussions between 

the leading tobacco manufacturers who are members of the T .A.C. 

i .e . The Imperial Tobacco Co. (of G .B . & I .) Ltd ., B.A .T., 

Gallaher Ltd., Godfrey Phillips Ltd . and Carreras Ltd., about the 

i'uture of Sir Alexander Maxwell, the Chairman of the T .A.C . 

The suggestion is that the Companies mentioned should between 

them pay Sir Alexander Maxwell £5,000 a year and arrange a 

pension for him of approximately two-thirds of this amount payable, 

say, at age 65 . It is believed such a pension could be insured 

at a premium of approximately £6,500 p .a., making a total annual 

payment until retirement of £11,500 . Of this sum the Imperial 

is prepared to contribute £7,500 p .a. ; if the other Companies 

mentioned will each contribute £1,000. It was recommended that 

B .A.T. should agree to contribute £1,000 p .a . for this purpose . 

2. Memorandum by Mr . Ridley dated l9th April concerning the 

Research & Development Staff was read. It was agreed that 

under the person who is eventually appointed head of the Research 

& Development Project Dr . Evers should become head of the Research 

Laboratories and that Mr . S .A . Grew should become the Engineer in 

charge of Engineering Development and that in this capacity Mr . 

Grew should be invited to become a member of the Senior Mess . 

It w as_further agreed to recommend to the Board that the salaries 

of Dr. Evers and Mr. Grew should be increased to at the rate of 

£3,000 p . a . with eft ct from the let May, 1955 . 

3. As it now seems probable that a deal will be made with 


Mr . Abe Wix for the acquisition of the Benson & Hedges and Peter 

Jackson businesses, it was agreed. that a Committee should be 

formed of representatives of the departments concerned to examine 

all the detailed points which will arise if the deal is made . 

I

I Thursday. 21st April 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Gough, Sargant, McAra, Ridley 

and Bruton present . 

1. Mr. Sargant said that he had been asked by Carreras 

whether we could help them in respect of their supplies of 

CRAVEN A to France . On this barter business they have to 

accept payment as to 459 in cigarette paper and owing to the 

fall in their business they cannot take any more paper. It was 

agreed in principle that we should help them, if we could do so 

without prejudice to ourselves, and Mr . Sargant will examine 

this matter further. 

0 2. The following expenditure by the under-mentione d 

40 

Companies was submitted and approved :- 


Pioneer Tobacco Co. Ltd. £1,750 in respect of a guest chalet 

at Wumasi . 

Nigerian Tobacco Co . Ltd. £623 for gumming units and conditioning 

equipment at 

Ibadan.

N. B. The fact that B .A .T. is 

negotiating for the acquisition of the 

Benson & Hedges and Peter Jackson 

businesses is highly confidential and 

must not be passed beyond the Directors . 

If the deal goes through it will be done 

probably in the name of a Company called 

Gallaher (Export) Ltd . and B .A.T'B 

interest will be completely hidden . 


Friday. 22nd April 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra, Ridley 


1. The Chairman reported that at a meeting with Mr . Wix 

yesterday, Mr. Wix accepted in principle the offer contained in 

the Chairman's letter of the 18th April for the purchase of the 

whole of the issued share capital of Benson & Hedges (Overseas) 

Ltd . and Peter Jackson (Overseas) Ltd . and a majority of the 

shares in Benson & Hedges Ltd ., subject to certain minor details 

which remained to be worked out . 

As regards the Maspero business in Israel, Mr. Wix felt 

that this needed further investigation. It was proposed that 

Mr. Hitchcock should be asked to come here next week and Mr . Wix 

will probably return with Mr . Hitchcock to Israel to examine the 

position on the spot . 

The Chairman reported that Mr . Cecil Mason had been asked 

by Mr. Pollock for an introduction to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco 

Company. Mr . Pollock has it in mind to establish an agency 

for the "Winston" brand and perhaps "Camel" cigarettes in South 

Africa. Mr . Mason said that he Would not give the introduction 

if'we objected . It was agreed that we should not offer any 

I& objection . 

3 . Letter was read from Mr . J.B . Yeamans, Jnr ., who was 

formerly employed in China and retired in September 1952, asking 

permission to take employment with a Pakistani firm now in process 

of organising a cigarette manufacturing business in Pakistan . 

Mr . Geldart was asked to attend the meeting . After discussion, 

it was agreed to reply that, although we would not normally give 

consent to a former employee who was in receipt of a voluntary 

allowance from the Company to join a direct competitor, in the 

particular circumstances of Mr . Yeamans' case, B .A .T . (Hong Kong) 

would not object . 


N 

C) 

O 

Co 

c1 

CU 

I

Monday . 25th April 1955. 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, MoAra and Bruton 

present . 

Mr. Bruton said that Louisville had considered 

forming another Company in Panama to take over the Canal Zon e 

and Ships' Stores business in Panama . For tax and other reasons 

they had now come to the conclusion that it would be better not 

to form another Company but to charge Tabacalera Istmena list 

price for "Lucky Strike" cigarettes instead of the existing 'cost 

plus' basis. The meeting felt that to avoid Istmena making a 

loss on this business it would be better to charge list price 

less 5 or 109 to cover expenses. 

Tuesday, 26th April 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra, Ridley and 

Bruton present . 

1. Mr . McAra read a memorandum by Mr. Stewart concerning 

machinery recently ordered by Mr . A.W.F . Hobson for the Argentine . 

A difficulty has arisen over the terms of payment for the 

machinery ordered in England from Molina and Legg . The purchase 

is being handled through the Dutch firm P .M.B. and to obtain the 

Dutch Government's consent to the transaction they are suggesting 

that payment should not be made to the English suppliers until 

remittances are actually received from the Argentine . Legg are 

not prepared to agree unless B .A .T . will give a guarantee in 

respect of the payment . It was agreed we should adhere to our 

principles In this matter and that we should not give such an 

assurance . 

2. Memorandum by Mr. Hunt was read recommending that our 

chief buyers, particularly those in A, B and C sections, should 

pay rather more visits to some of our suppliers . It was felt that 

this would give our buyers greater experience and a wider under- 

standing of suppliers' problems, and the proposal was agreed in 

principle . 


0 

is 

Wednesday, 27th April 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra, Ridley 

and Bruton present. 

1. Mr . Ridley said that Export Leaf wished to make additions 

to their Re-drying Plant and Leaf Warehouse at South Boston, Va . 

at an estimated cost of ,863,000 . This was agreed to . 

2. It was reported that tar . E.P . Lancaster had asked Export 

3 . 

Leaf for 69,120 lbs of tobacco to be sold by Universal Leaf 

Tobacco Company to Mr . Lancaster's customer in India, The 

National Tobacco Company of India. It was agreed there was no 

objection to Export Leaf fulfilling this order . 

Memorandum by Mr. Bristow dated 25th April about a 

proposed factory in the Sudan was read. L'r . Bristow was asked 

to a ttend the meeting . It was agreed in principle toe stablish 

a factory in the Sudan and Eastern Company will be asked t o 

63 

make investigations and recommendations regarding the site for 

the new factory, which it is proposed should be about 2 acres . 

Detailed estimates of the cost of the project will be submitted' 

later in the usual way . 


I

40 

1. 

2. 

Thursday, 28th April 1959 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, LcAra, Ridley and Bruton 

present . 

With ref erenc a to note No . 2 of the ]2 th April, 14r . 

Ridley reported that Dr . Raistrick had now decided not to 

accept our offer of employment as head of the Research and 

Development Project. 

br. Ridley reported the arrangements which had been 

made to assist staff in getting to the office in the event of 

a railway strike . 


Friday, 29th April 1955 , 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra, Ridley and Bruton 

present . 

1. Mr . Bruton read a report from Messrs. Featherston 

and Lamar giving the latest developments in Peru arising out of 

the possible changeover from a Government Tobacco Monopoly t o 

private enterprise . The approach so far made by Messrs . 

Featherston and Lamar was considered to be satisfactory and i t 

66- 

was agreed that arrangements should be made for Sir Harry Greenfield 

to pay a visit to Peru as soon as possible in his capacity as 

adviser on tobacco taxation to B.A.T . 

It was also agreed that Quintana, the President of the 

Tobacco Monopoly, who has been helpful in the negotiations, should 

be paid an advisory fee of $1,000 a month while the negotiations 

continue and if we ultimately decide to form a Company in Peru 

consideration will be given to employing Quintana . 

2. It was agreed that Mr. P.S. Thatcher, who is now aged 

74, should be asked to resign as a Director of The Jersey Tobacc o 

40 Company Limited with effect, say, from 30th June next, and to 

Mr. 

recommend that Mr. G.W. Johnston and/M.E . Hewlett should be 

elected to the Board of that Company. 

It was also agreed that Mr. K.H. Ching, who is an 

employee of J .J . Le Sueur, but who has devoted all his time to the 

work of The Jersey Tobacco Company Limited under the terms of an 

agreement between that Company and Le Sueur dated loth December, 

1932, should now be brought on to the payroll of The Jersey Tobacco 

Company Limited and become a member of the O.P .F . upon the terms 

set out in a memorandum by Mr. Hunt dated 25th April, 1955 . 


0 

Monday. 2nd May 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra, Ridley 


Specimen of GALVESTON 20s cigarette label put out 

by the Piccardo Company in the Argentine was submitted . 

The label follows closely the get-up of SENIOR SERVICE label . 

It was agreed that Pattreiouex (Overseas) should object to 

this GALVESTON label and that Mr. Yeaman and Dr . Magnanini 

should be so informed. 

Tuesday, 3rd May 1255 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra, Ridley 

and Bruton present. 

Mr . McAra referred to note No.1 of the 17th March , 

whereby additional finance up to £30,000 was approved for Rift 

Valley Cigarette Company for the period up to the end of June . 

This amount has already been expended and it was agreed to 

authorise a further £30,000 to cover the position for the months 

of May, June and July. 

Mr. Gelathorp will be discussing the whole question 

of the Rift Valley Cigarette Company with Mr . Geogehan next week . 


44

Wednesday, 4th May 1.955_ 9 


1. Memorandum by Mr. Hunt dated 3rd May was read concerning 

the Packaging and Allied Trades Research Association. At 

present we pay the full subscription of £100 to the Packaging 

Division and one-half the full subscription (namely £200) to 

the Printing Division . PATRA is now proposing to increase 

its subscriptions by 50% with effect from the lst April 1955 . 

Mr . Hunt recommends that, in view of our substantial interest 

in printing overseas and of the help and advice which we 

4 7 

receive from PATRA we should now voluntarily offer to pay the 

full subscription to the Printing Division ; i .e. we should 

pay £600 subscription to the Packaging Division and £600 

to the Printing Division. This was agreed to . 

It was also agreed that Mr . Davis should accept PATRA's 

invitation to offer himself for re-election as a member of 

the Council . 

2. Particulars of retirements for which calculations have 

been made on the normal basis between 1st April and 28th April 



0 

Thursday, 5th May 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim and McAra present . 

It was reported that an appeal had been received from 

the Order of St . John of Jerusalem on behalf of an Ophthalmic 

Research Centre which they propose to build and equip at an 

estimated cost of £100,000 in Arab Jerusalem, for research o n 

eye diseases in the Middle East . The appeal has been addressed 

to a number of companies with interests in the Middle East and 

after consultation with certain of these companies it was recom- 

mended that B.A .T. should make a donation of £1,000 . 

Friday . 6th May 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra, Ridley and 


1. Mr. Sargant tabled a note of the discussions which he 

and Mr . Bruton had with Mr. Rueff in Paris on the 4th May. 

2. Mr . Sargant submitted for information specimens of a 

new Player's Mild tipped cigarette which Imperial are proposing 

to put out in Eire at 1/- for 10, which is the equivalent of 

the 3/- price category here . The get-up of the packet follows 

very closely the Canadian Company's Player's Mild packing . 


STRICTLY CO DE 

NOTE OF DISCUSSIONS IN PARIS 4TH MAY, 195 5 

BETWEEN G . RUEE'F E .M. BRUTON AND 

F .H . SARGINT RE EL BUEN T0NO 

6th May, 1955. 

In the morning of 3rd May Rueff telephoned 

reporting that he had been offered 40,000 shares at a price 

of P.92 each, subject to prompt reply. He had tried to 

obtain an option for 8 days but this was not agreed to by 

the sellers . After discussion here with Oppenheim and 

McAra it was felt that he should not accept this offer 

without further investigation, and it was felt that Rueff 

should try and visit Mexico himself in order to get the 

background and judge the possibilities for himself . Also 

it was felt that for security reasons it might be an 

advantage if Rueff went into El Buen Tono without any 

B .A .T . participation at all . 

We put these points to him in Paris but he felt 

that if he were to go there and carry out any investigation, 

however discreetly, it could only put the price of the 

shares up and perhaps make the buying of a large block 

still more difficult . Also he made it clear that his idea 

was for M.I .C . money to be used to make this deal . 

After consultation with London by telephone it was 

agreed that this offer of 40,000 at P .92 .- per share should 

be accepted, and that in due course payment would be made 

from M.I .C . funds . In order to maintain as much secrecy 

as possible it was agreed that Rueff would consult his 

Lawyer to find out the best way for M.I .C . to form a holding 

company in order to conceal, as far as possible, the real 

owners . Rueff felt that possibly this holding company 

should be registered in Casablanca as this might save taxes . 

He will advise London further after seeing his Lawyer . 

Rueff agreed that it would be unwise to approach 

Signoret in any way, even though he is now residing in 

Paris, and it is hoped that if he is still a seller his 

shares can be acquired in Mexico by the same bank as will b e 

making the purchase of the present offer of 40,000 shares, 

it may have to be done by them through Bustamente . 

El Buen Tono shares are quoted from time to time 

on the Paris stock market, and the nominal quotation at the 

time of our visit was Frs .2650. If the bid for the 

40,000 shares is not too late, and the Spanish Bank in 

Mexico are able to buy them, then Rueff proposes to try and 

pick up El Buen Tono shares in small lots in France to a 

total of about 10,000 . This may be very difficult as they 

are probably widely held in small lots . 

As the present General Manager, Duprat, holds only 

40,000 shares he relies on Signoret's holding of 30,000 to 

give him voting control, so if we can buy the Signoret 

shares it should make our position sufficiently strong for 

Rueff to go to Mexico and to discuss the future of the 

company with Duprat . 


Rueff has conducted his contact with the Spanish 

Bank in Mexico (Mexicans do Credito, Manager Antonio 

Sacristan) through a private banking firm in Paris, by 

name of Worms & Co . Rueff stressed that we can rely 

completely on their utmost discretion and that their 

knowledge of Rueff's interest in M.I,C . would not be 

passed on to their Mexican correspondents . 

If we are successful in buying say 75,000-80,000 

shares and Rueff is successful in making a friendly 

approach to Duprat, and is able to persuade him to let the 

holders of this mew group place an experienced cigarette 

man in his organisation in Mexico, then we have the problem 

of the security issue as well as finding the right man for 

the job . Rueff at once suggested Le Bas . If he were not 

available he mentioned Signes, who is an ex-employee of 

Globe in Algeria and who has done useful work for us in the 

M.I .C . factory in Cholon . However, Rueff would not be 

happy to put Signes there as he is a man who has risen from 

the ranks and Rueff is doubtful if he would be sufficiently 

tactful to get on with Duprat who is said to be a very 

difficult man indeed. In addition Signes is a 

manufacturer and leaf man, not a salesman. On the other 

hand if quality of manufacture were in question Signes 

might be very helpful as he is a specialist on black 

cigarettes . 

Other than Le Bas and Signes Rueff has no one in 

mind at the moment . It is felt, however, that the 

decision as to what type of man would be required, to help 

El Buen Tono to become more progressive, can best be left 

until after Rueff has been to Mexico and seen the 

situation for himself . 

London, 

6th May, 1955. 


Monday, 9th May 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra, Ridley a nd 


1. Mr. Ridley referred to the recent Earthquake at Volos 

in Greece. B.A.T. contributed £400 to the Greek earthquake 

Fund in November 1953 and it was recommended that B .A.T. should 

make a contribution of £250 in respect of the Volos earthquake . 

2. The Chairman referred to discussions which have taken 

place with Mr. Ghanem of the Jordan Tobacco Company, as a result 

of which it has been agreed to recommend to National Tobacco and 

Cigarette Company of Transjordan that they should amend the 

terms of their agreement with Jordan Tobacco Company to provide 

that the National Tobacco Company's target as its share of the 

market should be reduced from 50% to 40% . 

3. Mr . Bodde was then asked to attend the meeting and he 

read a letter which the German Company has received from Mr . 

Reemtsma, stipulating certain conditions for the German Company' s 

use of van Kerckhof's "DUBEC" mark. Some of these conditions 

can be regarded as implied in the original terms of consent given 

by Reemtsma and to that extent it was agreed that Mr . Bodde should 

recommend the German Company to accept them . With regard to 

certain new conditions, Mr . Bodde will discuss them with Dr . Buch 

to make sure, before acceptance, that they do not prejudice the 

German Company's use of the mark . 


1

0 

Wednesda;y, llth May 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra, Ridley and 


1 . The best method of carrying out management development 

in the territories supervised from Louisville was discussed 

and the attached memorandum on the subject was agreed . 

2. The question of establishing the Research and Develop- 

ment Centre in Southampton was discussed and, : after having the 

plans and models of the Centre explained by the Committee set 

up to consider this matter, the following recommendations were 

made :- 

1. The project should be proceeded with on the 

basis of the plans demonstrated, covering Scientific 

Laboratories, Technical Development Halls, Adminis- 

tration Offices and Amenities Buildings, estimated 

to cost £510,000 in capital investment . 

Irwas also noted that the operating costs of the 

project would be likely to expand over the next few 

years to, perhaps, at the rate of £100,000 a year . 

2. Having failed to obtain a suitable Manager of the 

R . & D. Centre with scientific qualifications, it was 

decided to transfer Mr. D.S.F . Hobson to this post 

with, working under him, Dr . Evers as Head of the 

Scientific and Laboratory side, S .A . Grew as Head of 

the Technical Development side and D.R . Pattison as 

Head of the Administration Department . 

3 . It was recommended that the employment of a 

Scientific Adviser such as Sir Charles Ellis, Sir 

Bernard Keen or Professor Newitt should be further 

examined . 


4. It was recommended that ?r. Ridley should giv e 

immediate attention to the transfer to London of a

suitable manufacturer to take the place vacated by 

Mr. Hobson. 

3. The Chairman read a memorandum concerning the 1955 leaf 

crops and it was agreed that we should apply to the Board of 

Trade for 20,989,720 The U.S.A . leaf and 2,562,500 The Canadian 

leaf which, at 72 cents per lb for U.S. leaf and 65 cents per lb . 

for Canadian leaf, represents U .S.$15,112,600 and Canadian 

$1,665,600 . 

It was also agreed that we should relinquish to The 

United Tobacco Companies (South) Ltd . from our existing stocks 

1,000,000 lbs Rhodesian flue-cured and 480,000 lbs of Orinoco 

at book value plus the normal charges . 

4. Mr . Ridley reported that the prices of Italian leaf 

had been so substantially reduced as to become of interest to 

us . It was agreed that we should purchase 1,250,000 lbs 

of Italian flue-cured tobacco ex the 1955 crop, as this might 

be helpful in securing orders from the Italian Tobacco Monopoly . 

5 . Mr . Bruton referred to the situation in the West Indies 

with particular reference to restrictive covenants which bind 

companies operating thette to their respective territories . 

It was agreed that a letter should be written to B . & J .A . 

Machado in Jamaica consenting to that Company selling cigarettes 

and tobaccos under their own brands outside Jamaica subject, of 

course, to such sales not infringing anyone else's trade mark 

rights, the consent to be terminable on three months' notice . 

6 . A summary of proposed new pension arrangements for 

local staff of B .A.T . (Extension Suisse) was submitted and 

armed in principle . The proposals follow closely the 

revised pension arrangements recently introduced for staff in 

the U.K. 


7 

I 

N

JMMO_RAa1)gX , pith any, 1913 . 

It has alrert1y been AcreeA theft it is ondenirnble 

to duplicate the range of eativitien prrformncl by I onion 

Pernonnel Department by netting nr nn entirely neparrte u"xport 

Personnel Department in t .aulnville ooverinr all t no* ft,netions 

performed by the Personnel Advinnr o ;ni the "oreo~nel ;)epnrtm*nt 

in 

London. 

In the letter of the 16th December 19514 it was 

suggested that the exn~-t i>>no! lone ^n' scope of the 'xport 

Personnel Department in Lo ►► inville unler Townes ahoull be 

dieaunee4 during ter. Aruton'e visit to xon.ion in the Spring of 

1955 . 

With his letter of tt:e 2lnt January, Mr. Bruton 

enclooed a memorandum ee'.tirig out t-`1e functions of the Export 

Personnel Department In ).ouievillm . 

The main pointa govrtrning policy in this .otter are 1- 

1. It follow* from thn :ipeinicm retfetrrrd to above that 

major personnel rnttera runt be do~nlt with by the Pernonnel 

Adviser, eeninted by the t on'!en Pprnor.rrl Or;,nr*^"rt or f. ►; .. 

Louirvilie Export ► 'err_or.nnl 7,.! nrtênt, ' me,y he nprro- 

priate. 

2. The London personnel Department htin'seen 1lsnctionina 

over a wide area for A nu-hrr of y-l±rre and hue in it 

several well trained ^nl thoro'irhl y as nn rienced officers 

who are ndequntely ti'tei for d^rlinfi with such mnttern no 

iaanaper"nnt devalopme*rt, trolning, con of living surveys, 

end no on. Officprn of eir ► llnr calibre could b* trained 

in Louisville but that wotili not be in conrornity with the 

fundamental t1ec1n1 ;m referred to above . 

3. Louisville Ia not a eerarate organisation but a pert 


of one oraoniention . The Directors In Louisville are 

entitled to and should nnk^ use of all the technical

facilities available in 1 .on!on wlt*tout ahro"eting in 

any way their ultimate 9nthoritv Aa territorial dirr*etors . 

Directors In 7ouinviIle by nctinsT through the 

Personnel Advlter are perforraina their fanetionO in the 

morns way an their coiler"s use are performing t!selr 

functiems towards tI*îr r+~epmotive arena of authority . 

5. Louisville c► 

are short stsffal in the his_rher enpervisory graders and 

do not, so far, srr any iere4iate solution to this problem . 

It is essential, therefor', that they should be relieved 

of work that enr.be lone more conveniently from tonvon , 

so that senior emplmyeta like ?atun can give more time 

to other aspects of supervision. 

Taking due note of these points, it is now suggested 

that the territories supervised from Louisville should be divi,1'd 

into three groups, as follows r- 


Orour 2 Arve-tine 

Chile 

Brnril 

Group 2 Herbaloe 

Trinidad 

Demerara 

Surinam 

Jamaic a 

Group 3 Costa Rion 

3mlvattor 

Guatemala 

Honduras 

Kiere+rague 

Pan amw 

vbneeuel a 

tsexioo 

and that Louisville Export Personnel Deportment should have some- 

what wider functions in respect of Group 3 (which is mainly 

staffed by Ameriosno not normally transferable to territories 

supervised from London) sari more limited functions in respect of

(1) 

M 3- 

Groups 1 and 2 (whom* toralan at,%tT arm main1v British and, 

therefore, transferable to othor territuriss) . 

The following hee, theretorn, been A~ I- 

cmaemed with lbe 00A, of 11 

Groups 1 and 2 from London (Hargrove ) 

Group 3 Prom Louiaville, with 

oc n ^+i cir 1 wits .from 

1,ondon (VTara;rova or 

i ape1brook) . 

Reports on auah visits to Groupa 1 Rni 2 to he or-it to Louisville. 

Chnngoe in remuneration to be ngreel Frith Loui rvil le, the yard- 

sticks and allowenoes to be wor',.el out in London and sent to 

Louisville to be forwarded to the aar..oîntnd ao*pony ooreerne1 . 

(2) DMIRMAI 

Personnel Adviaear to correspond with kssars . Bruton 

a" Prin e, particularly on the ;;,entio ► of transfers between 

Groups 1 and 2 anal other aasocintel conpenles supervised from 

London. 

.e) ee.e st .at 

(4) miss ( 91l groups) 

Groups 1 and 2 Apart from the recruitment of 

local nationals, recruitment 

ahof,LA be b. London. 

Group 3 Reoruitment by Toolarville. 

All senage nt pupils Wien they Are recruited by 

the aseooiated company or in Louisville will attend the T'upils' 

Course in London at an approprirte time . 

ftnaigan ( ell gimps ) 


Individual pension anvor a11ownnne calculations

to be sent by Lot2ieville to revndirma tt,pnrtn^nt here . 

The hntiir or any revision of pension schemes-t-, be 

discusesel with Louisville nnd, after agreenment& a drei't for m 

of notii'ioetion to nRaaci«tAl aompan i n to be preps-Ad In T .ondon 

by Pensions Depertreent end sent to touteville Personnel Depart- 

went . 

in order to feailltet their err-n'"-,ants, the 

following procedure will 1,P nclopted in respect of c11 froups t- 

Records of all menaqeer+e^nt Rrnde stuff to he kept in 

Louisville Personnel Depnrt'nt with dunlionte records in Lon lon, 

as at present . 

Rotiflaestlona or chsnreec to be nent to Louieville in 

duplicate, 2.onisvtlle to torwotri the de!piionte to London forthwith, 

8teeff reports similarly to be sent in dupliente and 

the duplicate to be forw+'arded to Lontton forthwith, with comments . 

jsigrv Incresaees 

Recoe end>%tiems to be epnt to Louisville and forwarded 

to London by Personnel Department, as now. 

Agreement or comments to be Went from London to 

Louisvil lee who will inform the territory concerned of they final 

decisions taken . 

L 

Personnel Department. 


To be sent direct to Louisville and to London . 

Any comments by Lou: tan to be male to Louisville 

General infortn+ation shoat labour trends to be sent 

direct to the saeoainted eormeny, with a copy to Louisville

Personnel Depcrtmnt, 

The and= (referred to above) setting out the 

functions of the Louisville ? c? ort personnel ibpertmc ;nt can 

stem[, Subject to the tollowlur a and nta t.- 


Pare apps 2 of 12 to be ccantine :i to Group 3. 

Peregruph 3.3 le aab, eot to the paragraph ebo .e 

beaded "Trrainiing" . 

~:n 1 C . . . .J.A . .J .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Friday . 13th May 1 255 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, Mc-4a and Ridley 

present . 

1. Mr . McAra referred to the proposed arrangements with 

Godfrey Phillips concerning Ceylon, involving the termination 

of the Pool Agreement as at 31st March 1955 and the transfer to 

Godfrey Phillips of certain shares in Ceylon Tobacco Company . 

7 21 

Godfrey Phillips have pointed out that the change in the 

source of income will involve them in additional taxation and 

have suggested that to compensate them for this B .A .T. should 

agree to their receiving the final dividend for the year to 31st 

March 1955 on the shares which they will acquire in Ceylon 

Tobacco Company . 

It was agreed to accept this suggestion . 

2. Mr. Ridley suggested that Mr . Cocks, Head of the Leaf 

Department, should become the nominal correspondent with Tobacco 

Leaf Development Company (Zamaica) Ltd . in place of Mr. Ridley . 

This was agreed to . 

3. Additional capital expenditure by Cie Congolaise des 

Tabacs was approved, as follows :- 

Stanleyville Factory, Phase 2 : BFrs . 3,815,000 

Housing " 60,000 


Total BFrs. 3,875,000

Monday, 16th May 1959 , 

rvv-~ -~ 3 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra and Ridley present . 

1. Mr. McAra read a memorandum by Mr . Barnett on the 

proposed revision of the Q .P .F. and explained the difficulties 

which arise in certain territories as regards remittances for 

back a ervice and in respect of taxation . 

The proposal is to amend the Rules of the existing 

O .P.F . by creating a new class "C" who would receive scales of 

benefits substantially similar to the revised pension arrangements 

for Home Staff. It may in certain territories be necessary 

later on to inaugurate a small O .P.F . No .2 for those territories 

whose employees could not become Class "C" contributors . 

The proposals were approved in principle subject to 

further enquiry as to whether more satisfactory arrangements could 

be made in India and Pakistan through an Insurance Company or 

otherwise . 

2. Memorandum was read concerning overtime for office staf f 

at Head Office and U .K. Factories and the following recommendatio n 

was approved :- 

As a general rule, there should be noLovertime but i f 

the Head of a Department considers that it is necessary through 

no fault of the staff, the following reward should be mad e 

After office hours during tile working week (if at least one hour 

is worked) 

Payment(to those earning less then M,000 p .a.) at 

time rate with a meal provid&-d or 2/6d . in lieu if this cannot 

be arranged. 

Saturdays. Sundays and Bank holiday s 

Payment (to those earning less than el,000 p .a.) at 

time rate plus equivalent time off later . 

In addition, 3'6d . for lunch (2/6d . at factories) and 

1/6d . for tea if these meals are not provided and if work 

continues beyond the time at which these meals would normally be 

taken . 


0 

S 

3 

7 f 

When payment is nee to those earning under £1,000 p.s . 

those earning £1,000 and over should be able to claim. out-of- 

pocket expenses. 

Letter was read from The Royal Institute of Inter- 

national Affairs asking the Company to renew its subscriptio n 

for the current year. Our subscription for the last three years 

has been at the rate of £750 p .a. and it was agreed to recommend 

to the Board that this subscription should be renewed this year . 


I* 

Wednesday, 18th May 19 5 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent $ L c.Ara and Ridley 

present . 

1. Mr. Sargent reported that Reynolds Tobacco Company were 

selling WINSTON cigarettes to the French Regie and that Mr . 

Bryant thought it important that Brown A Williamson should get the 

Regie to take VICEROY cigarettes if a barter arrangement could be 

made. Mr. Honeycutt says that B. & W. would be prepared to take 

up to A200,000 of Jugoslav and Greek leaf in equal proportions 

against VICEROY but it is believed that the Regie will not have 

the leaf available until the beginning of next year . In vie w 

of the importance of having VICEROY on the market in France, it 

was recommended that B . & W. should take a risk and attempt to 

make a barter deal on the above basis . 

2 . Memorandum was read concerning the Overseas Employers 

Federation which provides useful information for Companies with 

overseas interests and has in fact already provided such informa- 

tion for the Personnel Department . It was agreed that the 

Company should join this Federation and pay a subscription of E50 

in respect of the year to 31=t July, 1955 . 

3. Letter was read from the Westminster Chamber of Commerce 

requesting this Company to join the Chamber . Other large 

Companies in Westminster are already members and it was recommend- 

ed that the Company should Join at a subscription of Four Guineas . 


Friday, 20th May 1956i . 


present . 

1. Letter was real from B.A.T. (Hong -Kong) reporting that 

Philip Morris' MARLBORO cigarettes have recently been introduced 

on the Hong Kong market by :";. Ott & Co., the importers of PHILIP 

MORRIS cigarettes. B.A.T. (Hong Kong) has the MARLBORO mark 

registered but has made no sales of the brand . It was agreed 

that no action should be taken in this case . 

2. Mr . Bristow and Mr . Mason were then asked to attend the 

meeting to discuss the projected reorganisation of the tobacco 

industry in Iraq as a Government Monopoly. Consideration was 

given to the question whether B .A.T . should offer its services in 

running the Monopoly. After discussion, it was felt that as a 

matter of policy it would be unwise for B .A.T ., which is a private 

enterprise concern, to help secure the efficient running of a 

monopoly as this might encourage similar ideas in neighbouring 

countries. In order to preserve friendly relations with the Iraq 

Government, Mr. Mason will visit Iraq to explain the position to 

them. 


r1 

I

0 

Monday . 23rd May 1955 . 


1. The meeting considered the position of pensioners who 

retired before the revised U .K. pension arrangements were intro- 

duced (i.e . 1st January 1955) and of those who will have retired 

from associated companies overseas before corresponding arrange- 

ments are introduced for such employees (i .e. lst July 1955) . 

The following recommendations were approved :- 

1 . That the pensions of male staff employees who retired 

in the case of the U.K. after the Is t January 1954 and in 

the case of overseas after the 1st July 1954 should be 

adjusted so far as possible to the revised arrangements, 

account being taken of any lump sum gratuity they may have 

received on retirement . 

2 . That the pensions of male staff employees who retired 

in the case of the U.K. before the 3s t January 1954 and in 

the case of overseas before the 1st July 1954 should be 

increased by the amount of pension (if any) which the employee 

may have surrendered to secure a pension for his widow and 

that they should not be subject to deduction of the Government 

pension . In addition, it was recommended that such pensions 

should be increased by 5% . 

2 . The meeting considered the compressed tobacco condition- 

ing process which Mr . Rowell has developed in Canada. As this 

process is similar to a process which Reemtsma is developin g 

in Germany, it was agreed that Canada should be asked not to 

proceed with applications for patents in respect of this process 

until Mr . Grew had had an opportunity to discuss the matter with 

them on his forthcoming visit . 


Wednesday . 25th May 1955 . 

Messrs . Sargant and McAra present . 

It was reported that Mr. Horton-Smith is one of three 

persons whose names have been put forward for election as 

Captain of the Great Britain Rifle Team which is' going to 

Canada in the Summer of 1956 . The team is expected to be 

away for approximately five weeks and it was agreed that Mr . 

Horton-Smith should be granted three weeks special leave in 

addition to his annual holiday of three weeks to permit him to 

visit Canada as a member of the team . 

Thursday . 26th May 1955 . 


Mr. Sargant produced specimens of the Wills Star i n 

various sizes in the form which has been agreed as standard 

with Imperial Tobacco Company. It was agreed that these 

should be circulated to Companies overseas through "Information" 

and that Mr. Sargant should write a personal letter to the 

No, l's in the various territories explaining confidentially 

that they are in the form agreed with Imperial. 


F

Tuesday, 31st May 1955 . 


1. New production form concerning Mitchell's "Admiral" 

Bright Virginia Shag, a new brand to be introduced by the 

Dutch Company, was submitted and noted . 

2. It was reported that Mr . Hartnett had been asked to 

become President of the Campbell Tobacco Company, Louisville , 

a small company manufacturing and exporting about 2,000,000 lbs 

a year of black fat tobacco, mainly to West Africa. The 

Campbell family, Holts of Liverpool and a French Company CAFO 

each own a third interest in the Company. It was agreed to 

recommend B . & W. not to raise any objection to Mr . Hartnett 

accepting the office of President . 


/'i

Wednesday, let June 1995. 


1. The Chairman read a letter from Mr . Prince, setting out 

the following arrangements which have been made by our associated 

companies in the West Indies for contributions to the Princess 

Alice Appeal on behalf of the University College of the West 

Indies and Its Teaching Hospital :- 

West Indian Tobacco Co,Ltd u Trinida d 

WI$4.,800 in three annual instalments of WI91,600 each 

under Deed of Covenant - to the general funds . 

B. & J.B. Machado Tobacco Co,Ltd., Jamaic a 

£6,000 in seven annual payments under Deed of Covenant 

for the establishment of a scholarship . 

Demerara Tobacco Co.Ltd. . British Guiana 

£ 500 in two annual payments under Deed of Covenant - 

to the general funds . 

British-American Tobacco Co. (Barbados) Ltd . . Barbados 

£ 500 in three annual instalments under Deed of Covenant - 

to the general funds . 

2. Memorandum by Mr . Stewart was read, setting out plans 

for the further development and modernisation of Southampton 

Factory, and Mr . Stewart was asked to attend the meeting. The 

proposals, which include the provision of additional leaf 

storage and are estimated to cost approximately £280,000, were 

approved in principle . 


Thursday . 2nd June 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Gough, Sargant and MoAra 

present . 

1. Particulars were submitted of conflicts which have 

occurred in a number of countries with Rothmans in respec t 

of the PALL MALL trade mark . Our position has in some cases 

been prejudiced through the difficulty of making user sales . 

It was agreed that the Legal Department should consult further 

with Mr. Potter to ensure as far as possible that such sales are 

made and that, if necessary, we might have to consider making 

small quantities of PALL MALL in Liverpool if, for exchange or 

other reasons, supplies cannot be trade from the States . 

2. It was reported that Mr . C .T. Woodruff was retiring from 

the service of H .A.T. on the 30th June 1955 . It was recommended 

that he should receive on retirement a total pension and allowance 

of £845.19. 0. P .a. 

3. The following transfers of staff were approved im 

principle :- 

1. That Mr. Maslen should become an assistant i n 

0 the Manufacturing Department in place of Mr . 


99 ' 

Hobson, who is going to Research and Development . 

2. That Mr. Slack should return to Nigerian Tobacco 

Co . Ltd. as No .1 in Nigeria, in place of Mr . Maslen . 

3. That Mr. Cathrew should join the Continental 

Department as assistant to Mr. Bryant, with effect 

from the let July . 

4. That Mr . P. Burton-Roberts should be transferred 

from Cia Congolaise des Tabacs to the staff of 

B .A .T ., with effect from let June 1955, for duties 

in connection with exports to French, Portuguese 

and Spanish Central Africa, at a salary at the 

rate of £2,600 p .a .

0 2 . 

11 

Friday, 3rd June l9 5 . 


1. Mr. Sargant read a letter from Gallaher Ltd . suggesting 

the following provisional prices for SENIOR SERVICE 25s and 50s 

packings for export :- 

25s flat boxes 19/3d. 

50s it 18/9d . 

50s flat tins 21/9d. 

50s A/T tins 19/6d. 

These prices will be subject to revision after Gallaher have had 

a run of a few months and have got a clearer picture of the costs . 

basis . 

It was agreed to accept these suggested prices on that 

Memorandum by Mr. Gelsthorp dated 2nd June was read and 

as shareholders the following recommendations were approved :- 

1. That Mr. R .A.L. Mazery should be appointed Manufac- 

turing Director of Cia Congolaise des Tabacs . 

2. That Mr . T.A .H. Slack should be appointed to the 

Board of Nigerian Tobacco Co . Ltd. 


3. That Mr . T.A .H . Slack and Mr . T .T . Hodgson should be 

appointed to the Board of Gold Coast Tobacco Co .Ltd .

Monday, 6th June_ 1955 . 


Particulars of retirements for which calculations 

have been made on the normal basis between 29th April and 2nd 

June 1955 were submitted and approved . 

Tuesday . 7th June 1255 , 


1. A proposal that Sir Charles Ellis, F .R.S., should be 

offered appointment as Scientific Adviser to the Board at a fee 

at the rate of £3,500 p.a . was approved. The appointment would 

be for five years,, subject to termination at any time by either 

side on three months' notice . 

2. It was agreed that the Chairman should send to Mr . 

Bruton each month carbon copies of notes of the Chairman's 

Meeting, with a request that they should be treated as highly 

confidential and returned by Mr . Bruton after they have been read 

by him and Mr. Prince . 

Letter was read from Mr . Bryant, Denmark, about a 

proposal to build a new selling depot at Aarhus, the existing 

depot being in very bad condition . It was agreed, as share- 

holders, to approve the following steps being taken :- 

(a) To negotiate with the Aarhus Municipality for 

the acquisition of the site . 

(b) To arrange for the Architect to prepare draft drawings, 

these drawings to be submitted to the Projects Department 

here . 

(c) To request the Architect to obtain a more accurate estimate 

of the cost . 

4. It was agreed that Mr . R .J . Ogle should be invited to 

join the Senior Mesa . 

5. It was agreed that Mr . J.H. Kneale, who is aged 38 and 


has had previous experience in personnel work in the Sudan, 

q 

I

should be offered employment in the Personnel Department in 

place of Mr . Daniel, at a salary at the rate of £1,500 p.a., 

the salary to be reviewed after approximately ne year . 

Wednesday. 8th June 1955. 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent and MoAra present . 

1. Mr . Sargent referred to Note No .1 of the 4th April 1955, 

under which it was agreed that B.A.T . would make a contribution 

to Ardath's cost of advertising of 2,/- per mille on sales of 

~+. V. K . 

STATE EXPRESS 555ffor the year from let July 1955 to 30th June 

1956, with no additional contribution. On reconsideration, it 

was agreed that B .A.T . should make a flat contribution of £13,000 

to Ardath for the year to 30th June 1956 . 

2. Memorandum by Mr. Bartett was read, referring to the recent 

decision to increase by 5% pension allay ances paid to male staff 

pensioners, following upon the 7$$ increase in salaries which was 

granted as from let July 1954. In order to avoid current and 

future retirements being treated less favourably, it was agreed 

that in calculating pensionable salaries for both males and 

females, salary prior to the 1st July 1954 should be notionally 

increased by 5%- 


r"11) 

G) 

CD 

Lfl 

CO 

I 

I

Thursday, 9th June 1955 . 

co-slsc~ . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Gough, Sargant and McAra present . 

It was agreed that, in future, any recommendation 

for the transfer from one territory to another of a director 

or member of the senior staff of a subsidiary company should, 

before any approach is made to the subsidiary companies 

concerned, first be submitted to the Chairman's Committee for 

approval through the medium of a memorandum submitted by the 

Personnel Department . 

Friday, 10th June 19 5 5 

0 Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant and ;%:cAra present . 

1. Mr . Sargent read a memorandum dated 8th June by Mr . 

E.J. Hunter, suggesting the terms on which he might acqu ire and 

run a new car in his capacity as Ships' Stores Manager. The 

proposals contained in the memorandum were approved . 

2. Design Project Form No .42 in respect of GOLD FLAKE 

King Size Filter 20s cup packing for South Africa was submitted 

and approved . 


Mr. Sargant will be referring the matter to Imperial . 

N 

I 

I

Monday, 13th June 195 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant and Clarke present . 

1 . The question of donations by Suomen Tupakka was 

considered . It was agreed as shareholders to inform Mr . Shaw 

that the Board of Suomen Tupakka is authorised to make 

individual subscriptions or donations up to F .M .20,000, 

provided they did not exceed a maximum of F .M .150,000 in any 

one year . 

2. An extension of the modernization programme of the 

factories of our Associated Companies in India estimated to 

cost Rs .14,04,828 (approximately £105,000) was submitted and 

approved . The programme is designed to meet an expected 

increase in sales and will be carried out in three phases over 

the next three years . 

3 . A draft of a letter which B .A.T . (C .E.) is proposing 

to write to Mr . Reemtsma concerning the "Dubec" mark in 

Germany was submitted and approved. 


9 

Wednesday, 15th June, 1955 , 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant and Clarke present . 

1. The terms of the settlement which it is proposed 

should be made with Mr . Wells on his retirement from the 

service of the Company on the 31st May, 1955, were submitted 

and approved as follows 

The capitalised value of the pension he 

would have received on retirement at his 

normal retirement age on the basis of 

his present pensionable salary and 

his actual service discounted to his 

date of retirement 

Less gross refunds of his contributions 

to Staff and Supplementary Funds 

Add outstanding relinquishments under the 

No-3 scheme 

. . . £41,768 

. . 

2,831 

£38,937 

2,916 

£41,853 

Amount to be paid as lump su m 

(as to £3,592.15 .0 . from the Sun 

Life Scheme No .2, and 

as to £6,407. 5 .0 . by commutation 

of £407 .13.0 . of Company Allowance) . . . 10,000 

Leaving a balance of 

to be paid in the form of an 

annuity of £2,026 .13 .0 . made 

up as follows :- 

£31,853 

0. P. F. £30 .14 . 0. p .a . 

O .I.P.F. 78 . 0 . 0 . 

Company Allowance £2,325 .12.0 . 

Less commuted 407.13.0. 1,917 .19 . 0 . " 

Thus Mr. Wells will receive :- 

(a) £10,000 in a lump sum ; 

(b) an annuity of £2,026 .13 .0 . 

£2,026 .13 . 0. " 

(c) £2,831 refunds of his own contributions 

to the Staff and Supplementary funds . 

A letter from the Chairman to Mr . Wells notifying him 

of these proposals was approved . 


I

0 

2. 

3 . 

4 . 

5 . 

A memorandum by Mr. Stewart was read concerning 

the drainage and sewerage situation at Monghyr, aaa ►d Dr. 

Bartleman reported that this was very unsatisfactory and 

dangerous to health, and a recommendation that the whole system 

should be replaced by the Indian Company at a cost of 

Rs .4,00,000 was approved . 

A memorandum by Mr. Gelsthorp was read concerning a 

day school which the Council of Accra Ridge Church is proposing 

to establish in Accra . The Council is appealing for funds for 

this purpose and as shareholders it was agreed that Gold Coast 

Tobacco Company should make a donation of £250, which is in 

line with donations being made by companies with comparable 

interests in the Gold Coast. 

A proposal that Cromptona (Stubbins) Limited should 

build a new Beater House for the No .4 paper making machin e 

at an estimated cost of £100,000 was submitted and approved . 

The Beater House is required to improve the general efficiency 

of the Mill and to make Cromptons (Stubbins) ful)p competitive 

with other more modern Mills . 

Allowances granted to former employees and certain 

dependants of deceased employees were submitted for annual 

review, and it was recommended that these allowances should be 

continued at their present rate . 


0 

E 

Thursday, 16th June, 1955. 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, Gough and Clarke present . 

A letter from The British Travel and Holidays 

Association was read asking whether we would make a donation 

of £15C as we have done each year since 1950 . It was agreed 

to reccrrend to the Board that we should make a donation of 

£150 this year but that we might reduce the donation in 

subsequent years . 


Monday, 20th June 1955 , 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent and Clarke present . 

1. The Chairman referred to discussions with Mr . Bond 

2 . 

about the affairs of The United Tobacco Companies (South) Ltd . 

and the following recommendations were approved :- 

1. That Mr . Hockly should retire on pension 

at the let October next, by which date he will 

have attained 56 years of age and will be eligible 

for retirement on pension . under the proposed new 

pension arrangements. 

2. That Mr. Dearth and Mr. Bouchier should resign 

from the service of the Company and receive the 

equivalent of three years' salary as compensation 

for loss of office, plus the return of their Pension 

Fund contributions . 

It was reported that Mr . Wells was resigning from the 

Board of Cromptons (Stubbins) Ltd . and it was agreed to 

recommend that Mr. Geldart should be elected a Director of 

Cromptons (Stubbins) Ltd . in place of Mr . Wells . 

3. Letter was read from the Board of Trade, stating that 

they had decided to allot to R .A.T . the following amounts for 

10 the purchase of tobacco (other than cigar leaf) in Nort h 

America for the year 1955/1956 :- 


U.S., 15,002,400 Canadian $ 1,749,500 . 

This is in total $2,200 more than we applied for .

Tuesday, 21st June 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent and Clarke present . 

1. In view of the development of the Export Branch of 

Gallaher and the increased responsibility of Mr . Grose, it 

was recommended that blr . Grose's salary should be increased 

from at the rate of £2,800 p. a. to a t the rate of £3,000 p . a. , 

with effect from the let July 1955, and that the target salary 

for this job should be £4,000 p .a . 

2. It was agreed that Mr. G.E .H . Beavis, formerly Branch 


Accountant at Liverpool, should be offered temporary employment 

in an advisory capacity on accounting and general administration 

with Gallaher's Export Branch at a salary at the rate of £1,000 

p .a. and that, in addition, he should receive expenses at the 

rate of £2 per day while he is away from Liverpool on duty. 

It was expected that this appointment would be for a period 

of not less than six months and possibly as long as a year .

0 3. 

Thursday . 2-4th June 1955. 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant and Clarke present . 

I . Memorandum was read concerning housing occupied by 

Malta Tobacco Company's staff in Malta . A part of the Manager's 

house and the whole of one flat are not furnished by the Company 

and it was agreed to recommend to Malta Tobacco Company that 

they should take measures to complete the furnishing of these 

premises . 

2. Memorandum by Mr. Gelsthorp was read concerning a hotel 

which Messrs . Contain (West Africa) Ltd . are planning to erect in 

Lagos . The capital required is estimated at £1,000,000 divided 

into 800,000 preference shares and 200,000 ordinary shares . 

The project is supported by the Government, who are understood 

to be subscribing 600,000 of the preference shares, and other 

Companies operating in Nigeria are subscribing for ordinary 

shares . It was agreed to recommend that Nigerian Tobacco Company 

should subscribe for £15,000 of the ordinary shares provided it 

is quite clear that the balance of the total capital required 

will be forthcoming from other sources . 

Mr. Clarke referred to B .A .T's special contribution to 

the O .P.F . in respect of back service under the amended Rules 

which, if paid over a ten year period, would amount to £11,62 0 

per annum, w 


Mr . Barnett has advised that this liability could be met 

by an immediate payment of £100,000, of which £10,OCO would 

represent B .A .T's contribution at the 1st July 1955 and the 

balance of £90,000 would be an interest free loan reducible by 

£10,000 on the 1st July 1956 and on each subsequent 1st July 

until 1964 . It was agreed to adopt this course, as it is at 

present a favourable time for investment . 

N 

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Mondgy, 27th J e 1 255 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra and 

present . 

1. The Chairman reported that Mr . E.M. Hunt had a 

alight T.B. infection of the lungs and it was agreed to 

recommend to the Board that, after the normal three months ' 

period, sick leave should be extended for a further period of 

three months. 

2. The meeting considered the position of Rift Valley 

Cigarette Company and allied matters and the following recom- 

mendations were made :- 

l . That the Rift Valley Company should cease 

operations but in a way which would avoid the risk of 

East African Tobacco Company appearing to swallow it . 

The possibility of Ardath taking over the business and 

brands of Rift Valley Cigarette Company to be explored 

further . 


2. That Mr. S.A. Monnas be informed that E .A.T . 

Co. are not interested in purchasing the assets of 

Kenya Tobacco Company . Ardath will communicate a 

similar decision to him when they are next approached . 

3. That E .A .T. should open a pilot factory in 

Tanganyika, probably at Morogoro, as soon as practicable, 

using machinery from Nakuru and such buildings as can 

economically be transferred . A plot of sufficient size 

for future development to be purchased . 

4. That the possibility of introducing local capital 

into E .A.T . should be explored right away. Both the 

Kenya settlers and the Indians could be interested and 

prove useful associates . 

i

2 . The following capital expenditure by the under- 

mentioned Companies was submitted and approved : - 

EAST AFRICAN TOBACCO COM'APY LIMITE D 

1. Nairobi African Housing Scheme £ 35,000 

2. Nairobi Storage facilities (two godowns) 50,000 

3 Additional machinery 100,000 

MALAYAN TOBACCO DISTRIBUTORS LIMITE D 

£185,000 

Housing scheme at 8, Dalvey Road , 

Singapore Straits A4,00 0 

NIGERIAN TOBACCO CO?.PANY LIMITE D 

0 Ibadan Factory - additional machinery £ 67,000. 

0 


4

Tuesday . 28th June 1955. ,/ . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra and 

present . 

1. A proposal that B .A .T . (Holland) should erect a new 

storage building with a floor space of 780 square metres 

in the compound of the Aaterweg Factory, at an estimated 

cost of approximately F1 .160,000 (£16,000) was submitted and 

approved. 

2. Additional capital expenditure amounting to £E.7,207 

by Sudan Tobacco Company, in respect of staff houses at 

Khartoum, was submitted and approved . This is in addition 

to the sum of £E.1i9,015 already authorised . 

Wednesday, 29th June 1955 . 


Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, McAra and C,} rke 

present . 

Memorandum was read concerning Mr . T.B . Hawley, Factory 

Manager of B.A .T . (Extension Suisse). Mr. Hawley has been 

with the Swiss Company since June 1936 and his associations 

are now almost entirely with Swiss nationals and it is his 

intention to retire in Switzerland . In the special circum- 

stances of his case, it was agreed that Mr . Hawley should be 

treated for pension purposes as if he were a local employee 

and that he should be transferred from the Q .P.F. to the Swiss 

Pensions Scheme . Accordingly, the conditions which apply 

to locally employed Swiss will be applied to him and he will 

not be entitled to leave in the U .K.

Friday, let July 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant and MoAra present . 

I. Mr . Sargant referred to a proposal to supply the 

Italian Tobacco Monopoly with Player's Navy Cut Medium 20s . 

It was agreed that these should be supplied at 30/- per Mille 

c.i.f ., Verona, which is the same as the price for Craven 'A' . 

2. It was reported that Mr. Shaw, Finland, had applied to 

become a Class C contributor under the revised Rules of the 

O .P.F. It is impossible for Suomen to remit contribution s 

and it was agreed that B .A.T. should pay the £5,500 required to 

cover the back service contribution in respect of Mr . Shaw . 

3 . Mr. Bristow was then asked to attend the meeting . 

Draft of a letter which he is proposing to write to Mr . 

Bailey, Jordan, in the light of the news that a competitive 

tobacco company is about to be formed in Jordan by a number of 

wealthy merchants, was submitted and approved . 

Mr. Bristow's letter recommends that all steps should 

be taken by the National Tobacco Company and Jordan Tobacco 

Company to implement the terms of their joint agreement and that 

both Companies should plan to improve the presentation of their 

products by adopting cup packings . It further recommends that 

the Board of National Tobacco Company should be strengthene d 

at the earliest possible moment by the introduction of influential 

Jordanian Moslems . A suggestion that Near Eastern Holdings 

might make an offer for certain of the shares of the minority 

shareholders was not approved . 


1 . 

a 2. 

0 

Monday, 4th July 1955. 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, bcAra and Ridley 

present . 

During the absence of Air . E .M. Hunt it was agreed - 

(1) That Mr . Sargant will deal with correspondence 

with Australia and New Zealand . 

4,7 

(2) That Mr. Bodde will supervise the Channel Islands 

(with Mr. Wickes assisting) and the Printing and 

Purchasing Departments . 

(3) Mr. Stewart will supervise Traffic Department . 

It was agreed to recommend to the Board of Guernsey 

Tobacco Company Limited that Mr . Bodde and kr. Wickes should be 

elected to the Board in place of Mr . Wells and Mr.,Collett. 


0 

Tuesday, 5th July 195: 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, 1cAra and Ridley 

Present. 

It was reported that Mr. Usher had been asked to 

become a Justice of the Peace for the County of Middlesex . 

It was agreed there was no objection to Mr . Usher accepting the 

appointment . 

2. Mr. Sargent read a letter from Mr . Bond reporting that 

Rembrandt Tobacco Company is arranging for the United States Tobacco 

Company to manufacture the VAN RIJN brand for sale on the United 

States market. 


0 

Wednesday. 6th July 1955 . 


present. 

1 . As shareholders, it was agreed to approve a recommenda- 

tion that Mr. J.K. Hill should be elected to the Board of The 

Imperial Tobacco Company of India Ltd ., in place of Mr . Allbright . 

2 . It was reported that Oadens Branch of The Imperial Tobacco 

Co. had enquired whether we could let them have a Molins Coupon 

Feed . We have eleven of them lying inactive at Roberts Street 

and it was agreed there was no objection to releasing one to 

the Imperial . 

3. Appointments to the temporary staff during the months 

of April, May and June were submitted and approved, together 

with comparative figures showing the total number of permanent 

and temporary employees at the beginning and end of that period . 


1 

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Thursday, 7th July 1955. 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, Mon-Ara and Ridley 

present. 

1. Mr . Sargant reported that Tabacofina were understood 

to have purchased a factory in Canada far,6370,000 as from the 

lst July. The name of the Company which they have acquired is 

Central Tobacco Manufacturing Company Limited, Montreal . 

2. It was reported that South Africa had asked for our 

views on the following two suggestions, and Mr . Geldart was asked 

to attend the meeting :- 


1 . That they should put out a new brand called 

"400's De Luxe" under the Wills name . 

As the brand is to be a high-class one, it was 

considered that there was no objection to this . 

2. That they should form a B . & W. Company in South 

Africa to market a new brand under the name "Paul 

Revere" . This would enable them to give the brand 

an American background and would avoid the necessity 

of having the United's address on the packet . 

It was agreed that there was no objection to this, 

if they wished to do it, but that it would entail 

the B. & W. trade marks which are at present owned 

by United being transferred to the new company .

Friday, 8th July 1955 . 


present . 

1 . List of subscriptions to be authorised by the Secretary 

in the year ending 30th June 1956 was submitted and, subject 

to further consideration of the usefulness of the Allied 

Circle and the Anglo-Argentine Society, was approved . 

2. Mr . McAra outlined proposals which had been suggested 

for meeting the capital requirements of the La Moderna and 

Vazir Sultan Companies. 

3. Mr. Sargent reported that t he standard print on CAPSTAN 

cigarettes was black but that on cigarettes manufactured in 

our home factories a blue black ink was used which, when 

lightly applied, produced a blue print. Mr. Carter of the 

Wills' Branch of Imperial had drawn our attention tot his and 

said that Wills very much liked the blue print. It was 

agreed that the blue print looked better than the black and 

that discussions should be held with Imperial with a view to 

adopting the blue print as standard. 

4. The Chairman reported that Sir Robert Sinclair proposed 

visiting Louisville on the 27th and 28th October, followe d 

(0 1 

by a visit to Petersburg, and that he would be visiting Canada 

in November. 


Monday. 11th July 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, Ridley and Clarke 

present . 

1. With reference to note No .1 of the 8th July, it was 

reported that Colonel Andersen has found the Allied Circle most 

useful and has put up for temporary membership a number of the 

(o~- 

younger employees, both English and of other nationality, who are 

on leave or on visits to this country. Int he circumstances, 

it was recommended that we should continue our subscription to 

the Allied Circle . 

It was also agreed to continue the subscription to the 

Anglo-Argentine Society. 

2. Memorandum was read concerning Mr . W.C . Harrison, 

Chauffeur . Harrison has two children and his present flat at 

Sunn,ingdale is too small for his needs . He has the opportunity 

of purchasing a house in Staines for 21500 of which he expects to 

be able to raise £1050 through a building society . He has a 

small capital sum of his own and it was recommended that, to 

enable him to meet the balance of the purchase price, the Company 

should grant him a loan of £300, repayable at the latest in 20 

years. 


Tuesda.y . 12th July 121;5 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, Ridley and Clarke 

present . 

1. Mr . Sargant referred to Mr . R.J. Condie, who is bein g 

brought from Gibraltar to this country temporarily. Mr . 

l0"3 

Condie is married and it was agreed in the special circumstances 

of his case that he should be given some allowance to assist him 

in meeting his living expenses whilst he is here, the amount of 

the allowance to be decided later . 

2. Memorandum was read concerning Miss Latham, a retired 

forewoman at Southampton Factory. It was recommended that 

Miss Latham's retirement allowance should be increased by the 

sum of £14.8.11 . 0., being approximately equivalent to the long 

service allowance . 

0 3. It was agreed in principle that B .A .T. should pay to La 

Baloise Scheme the appropriate amount to cover back service of 

Mr. Bernasconi arising out of the revision of the La Baloise 

Scheme . 

4. Letter from Mr . Bond to Sir. Geldart was read, recommending 

that Mr. Hockly should retire on the 31st December 1955 instead 

of on the 30th September 1955, as previously suggested, and that 

he should receive two months' salary in lieu of leave. As 

shareholders, it was agreed to approve this recommendation . 

Mr . Hockly had asked that he should receive, in addition, some 

compensation for loss of office, and it was considered there was 

S no justification for this. 

5 . Letter was read from Mr . Yeaman, referring to a discussion 

which they have had in Louisville with Dr. Magnanini concerning 

the position of the former Imperial marks in the Argentine. A 

suggestion that Dr . Magnanini should come here for further dis- 

cussion on this subject was approved . 

6. Particulars of retirement calculations made on the usual 

basis between 3rd June and 8th July 1955 were submitted and 

approved . 


0 

a 

Wednesday, 13th July 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sar-ant, Ridley and Clarke 

present . 

Mr. Sargent referred to the objectionswhich ?r . V'W"hite, 

of The American Tobacco Company, has made from time to time to 

LUCKY STRIKE of B.A.T's manufacture being supplied to ships in 

Italian and Swedish ports sailing to U .S.A. 

It was agreed that Mr. Sargent should write to Louisville 

suggesting that Mr . Butler should see Mr . White and propose that 

the same arrangement be made for supplies of LUCKY STRITZ to 

ships in Italian and Swedish ports sailing for U .S.A . as was 

recently made in respect of ships in French ports clearing t o 

U. S .A. 

Thursday, 114th July 19F5 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent and Clarke present . 

With reference to note No. 2 of 23rd March 1954, whereby 

it was agreed that the Company would increase its subscription 

to the British National Committee of the International Chamber 

of Commerce from £500 to £1,000 a year, provided the Chamber 

was able to obtain similar Increases from other sources to make 

up the £5,000 a year which they considered was necessary to put 

the British National Committee on a sound financial basis, the 

Chairman reported that he had been informed that the necessary 

sum was now forthcoming from other sources . Accordingly, it 

was recommended that the Company should give an additional £500 

this year and that its subscription should be £1,000 a year in 

future years . 


I

Monday, 18th July 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant, Ridley and Clarke 

present . 

1 . A memorandum dated 14th July, setting out the proposed 

revision of overpay and classification rates of bur male and 

female factory employees was submitted and approved . 

2. An appeal on behalf of the National Association of 

Boys' Clubs was considered. It was recommended that the 

Company should make a contribution at the rate of £100 p .a. 

for seven years under covenant . 

3 . It was agreed that the purchase of Chelwood Vachery 

should be conditional upon our obtaining consent to the change 

of user and subject to our receiving planning permission to 

erect the necessary buildings. 


a 

Tuesday, 19th July-1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sar .ant, Ridley and Clarke 

present . 

Memorandum by Mr. Barnett, summarising the proposed 

revised pension plan for employees in the United States, was 

submitted and approved. This will bring the pension arrange- 

tar 

ments in the United States substantially in line with our revised 

schemes here . 

A revised classification of territories supervised by 

Louisville for the purpose of the O .P.F. was also approved . 

This revision introduces a new classification described as "medium- 

long" in which the retiring age will be 60 . 


Wednesday, 20th July 19 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, Ridley and Clarke 

present . 

1. It was agreed that 1..r. R.G . Davies, who is being 

engaged as an assistant to 114r . Songhurst in the Advertising 

Department, should be treated as a specialist. 1r . Davies 

holds the diploma of the Advertising Association and has had 

ten years experience with an outside advertising firm oi' a 

kind whiwh the Company requires . 

2. Draft Agreements revising the existing Agreements 

with Cia Nobleza de Tabacos covering the use of Player's, 

Hignett's, Smith and Wills' brands in the Argentine were 

submitted and approved . These revised Agreements have been 

settled in consultation with Dr . Magnanini . 


Thursday, 21st July 1955. 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, Ridley and Clarke 

present . 

1. Memorandum by Colonel Andersen was read, referring to 

the difficulty of obtaining hotel accommodation in London . 

The Charing Cross Hotel would be prepared to allocate to the 

Company the following accommodation on a permanent basi s 

(a) From 1st November to 30th Anril . 

1 twin bedded room with bath ; 

2 single rooms with bath; 

(b) From 1st May to 31st October 

2 twin bedded rooms with bath; 

3 single rooms with bath ; 

at a cost of 80/- per night for the double rooms and/- pe r 

night for the single rooms, including breakfast . 

In the event of the rooms not being required by the 

Company the Hotel would, if notified before 10 a .m. on the 

day in question, endeavour to let the rooms for that night . 

It was agreed to give this arrangement a trial for one 

year with effect from the let October 1955, the scheme to be 

reviewed in July of next year . 

2. Additional expenditure by Nigerian Tobacco Co .Ltd., 

amounting to £84,000, in respect of housing for staff at the 

Port Harcourt Factory was submitted and approved . 


16 f

Friday, 22nd July 1955 . 

PwrV0411 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargant, Ridley and Clarke 

present . 

Z. It was reported that previous advances made to Rift 

Valley Cigarette Company, which total £453,000, would be 

exhausted at the end of this month. It was agreed to 

make a further advance of £27,000 to cover the next three 

months, by which time it is hoped that the revised plans 

for the Company will be in operation. 

2. The question of the manufacture of "du Maurier" and 

3. 

"Benson & Hedges" brands for export was considered. Mr. 

Ridley suggested that we should arrange for Gallaher to 

handle the manufacture of "du Laurier" for export and that 

(C~ 

temporary arrangements might be made with Mr . Wiz to continue 

the manufacture of "Benson & Hedges" brands for export . 

This was considered to be the most satisfactory solution and 

the matter will be discussed with Mr. Wix on his return from 

the United States . 

It was agreed that as from Monday next the Chairman's 

Committee would sit at 9 .15 instead of at 10 o'clock a s 

previously. 


Monday, 25th July 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, IcAra and Ridley 

present. 

(10 

It was reported that Sir Harry Greenfield had been 

asked by the International Chamber of Commerce to accent the 

Chairmanship of the British National Committee on Administrative 

Formalities, It was not expected to take up much of his time 

and it was agreed there was no objection to Sir Harry accepting 

the Chairmanship . 

Tuesday, 26th July 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, 'V:cAra and Ridley 

present . 

1 . Memorandum was read concerning pension funds for local 

staff in Malaya. M.T .D. recommend that the Company's contri- 

bution both to the Pension Scheme and Provident Fund B should be 

increased from 10% to 15%, with effect from the 1st July 1955 . 

This recommendation was ccnsidered to be reasonable, bearing in 

mind that the Company's contribution to the O.P .P. is now 271` 

for short service territories . 

2. Additional expenditure of Pakistan Rs .275,000 by 

Pakistan Tobacco Company on flats at 11, Clifton Road, Karachi, 

Was approved . 


wednesdav. 27th July 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, ;"c~ra and Ridley 

present . 

I. Mr. Ridley referred to the case of 7.1r . D .N. Campbell, 

2 . 

3 . 

Turkish Leaf staff. Mr. Cam'bell was originally enrared in 

1931 and left owing to redundancy in 1935 . He was subsequently 

re-engaged in 1938. It was agreed that the four rears from 

1931 to 1935 should, notwithstendin : the break in his service, 

be treated as service for the purpose of calculating his pension 

on retirement . 

A proposed revision of the scale of overseas allowances 

at present paid to staff in Turkel, and Greece was approved in 

accordance with the terms of two memoranda dated 25th July 1955, 

to take effect from the 1st July 1955 . 

Memorandum by Mr. Lewison dated 21st July was read, 

suggesting in broad outline what might be the division of 

functions between the Training Officer and the Warden of the 

proposed new residential training, establishment at Chelwood 

Vachery. These suggestions were approved in principle subject 

to any adjustments that might be found necessary in the light of 

experience . 


Thursday, 28th July 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargar.t, Kckra and "Ridley 

present . 

Memorandam setting out the suggested procedure for 

the purchase of the shares of Benson d Hedges (Overseas) Ltd. 

and Peter Jackson (Overseas) Ltd . was read. Oakland Tobacco 

Company Limited, a dormant and wholly owned subsidiary of 

B .A .T ., would purchase the shares, which would be registered 

in the name of Lloyds Bank City Office Nominees Limited as 

nominees for Oakland . 


The proposals set out in the memorandum were approved.

Tuesday. 2nd August 1955. 

:),4 adolt 

Messrs . Sargant, McAra and Ridley present . 

Memorandum by Mr . D.R. Clarke suggesting that the 

pension of C.B. A,rffmann, a former employee of the Danish 

Company who retired on the 31st December 1950, should be 

increased on compassionate grounds from Kr .4,363 p.a. to 

Er .9,500 p .a. was read. It was agreed to recommend to the 

Danish Company that the proposal contained in Mr . Clarke's 

memorandum be adopted but that the increase in Mr . Arffwann+s 

pension should not be used as a precedent for reviewing the 

pensions of other pensioners prior to any general review of 

pensions which might be found to be desirable . 

V e da t 1959, 

Messrs . Sargent, McAra and Ridley present. 

) It was reported that Mr. V.H. Fault er, a former American 

employee of the Leaf Company in China who retired on pension in 

1950, had asked whether there was any objection to him working in 

an independent tobacco redrying plant in the States during the 

coming leaf season. It was agreed that there was no objection 

to this. 


11 3 

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Thursday. 4th August . 1955 . 

e o L 


1. Further to Note No.1 of 20th June 1955, memorandum which 

bad previously been circulated concerning the proposed revision 

of pension arrangements of The United Tobacco Companies (South) 

Limited was considered . The new benefits would be similar to 

those recently adopted for U.K. staff and the additional cost 

to the South African Company is estimated at £12,000 per annum . 

It was agreed to recommend to the South African Company that, 

subject to the points raised in the memorandum, the proposed 

new arrangements should be adopted . 

2 . It was reported that the question of forming a British 

Chamber of Commerce in Holland was being considered, and the 

Federation of British Industries bad asked whether we would be 

prepared to support the Chamber of Commerce for a period of three 

years at an annual membership fee of ten guineas . If sufficient 

support were forthcoming the F .B.I . would actively assist in the 

formation of the Chamber . It was agreed that we should repl y 

to the F .B .I . stating that B .A .T .(Holland) would be prepared 

to join the Chamber at an annual fee of ten guineas . 

3 . It was reported that under the auspices of the Government 


in Nigeria a Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology 

had been established for the training of African artisans, and 

that the Nigerian Tobacco Company had been asked to provide a 

scholarship at an annual cost of £240 . The recommendation that 

Nigerian Tobacco Company Limited should endow a scholarship for 

six years at an annual cost of £240 was approved . 

14

Friday, 5th August 1955 . 

-) C 

Messrs . Sargent, McAra and Ridley present . 

A suggestion that the Bramtoco Horticultural Association 

should send letters of invitation to its Autumn Show to all 

Pensioners and that arrangements should be made for them to be 

given lunch in the canteen in the same way as last year was 

approved . 

Monday, 8th August 1955 , 

;j _4-at 

_TC-_ 


1 . Memorandum we had received from the Imperial about 

Kachalola Limited was considered . The memorandum concerned a 

proposed five-year plan for the development of the variou s 

African newspapers owned by Kachalola Limited involving additional 

capital expenditure and other expenditure of £183,000, of which 

B.A.T .'s share would be £22,875 over five years . Draft of a 

letter which Imperial proposed to write to Mr . K .G .Y . Browne 

agreeing to the suggestion that an independent business man 

should make a report on the five-year plan and pointing out that 

they hoped that our joint investment in Kachalola Limited would 

show a small profit as soon as possible was approved . 

2. Letter from Gallaher was read asking us to confirm that 

it had now been agreed that Gallaher would not be under any 

obligation to manufacture Benson & Hedges' brands required for 

sale by Benson & Hedges (Overseas) Limited under the Overseas 

Agreement . It was agreed that we should confirm our agreement 

to this change . 


I

3. It was reported that Oscar Legg Limited had failed 

to repay the first instalment of capital amounting to £250 

due on the 30th June 1955 under the Debenture for £10,000 

Which B .A .T. had lent it . It was agreed that this repayment 

should be postponed until the end of the year . 


/i6 

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Tuesda th Au s 1955 , 

_-?6,4~ aL 

Messrs . Sargant, McAra and Ridley present. 

1 . Memorandum concerning a proposal that The Imperial 

Tobacco Company of India Limited should make an offer to 

purchase a block of ten flats in Calcutta known as East Block , 

Fountain Court, for Rs .9,00,000 was submitted. Additional 

initial expenditure was estimated at Rs .57,500, and it was 

agreed to recommend that the Indian Company should proceed wit h 

the proposal. 

2. It was reported that the Dramatic Society had asked 

permission to use the lounge at Westminster House on one or two 

occasions during the next six months from 5 .30 P.M. to approx- 

imately 7.30 P .M. in order to present a play . The audience 

would be confined to members of the staff and there would be 

no charge for admission . There was nothing in the lease to 

prevent the lounge being used for this purpose and it was agreed 

that permission should be given . 

3. It was reported that if the o .p .F . were to be approved 


in East Africa for tax purposes, the Commissioner would require 

each contributor employed by East African Tobacco Company 

Limited to authorise the Committee to withhold the appropriate 

East African Income Tax on the relevant part of his pension 

after retirement . The tax would not have to be withheld, however, 

if the contributor after retirement lived in East Africa or the 

United Kingdom or in any other country with which East Afric a 

had a double taxation treaty. In order that contributors' 

contributions and the Company's contributions, including its 

back service contributions of approxizpately £188,000, should be 

allowed for tax, it was agreed to recommend that the Commiss- 

ioner's requirements should be complied with . 

I 1 7

v 

0 

4. It was reported that as from 1st July the price at 

which Gallaher would supply Senior Service for export would 

be increased to 17s . 6d. a mile . 


(12

Wednesday. 10th August 1955 . 

Messrs . Sargant, McAra and Ridley present. 

1 . Memorandum concerning Mr. G .H. Worrall, who was retiring 

at the end of the year, was read, recommending that in order to 

f' 9 

avoid his total retirement benefits on the agreed basis exceeding 

two-thirds of his final salary his Sun Life No .4 policy should 

be converted to paid-up as from 1st October 1955, and that his 

salary relinquishment under the No .4 Scheme should be reinstated 

as from that date until his retirement . This recommendation was 

agreed . 

2 . Particulars of retirements for which calculations have 

been made on the normal basis between 9th Zuly and 9th August 



Thursday. 11th Acust 1955 . 


1. It was reported that Imperial had received a request from 

the London Representative of the Japan Monopoly Corporation for 

a Mr. Bakajima, the head of their machine factory, to visit one 

of Imperial's factories when he comes to this country in 

September. It was agreed that there was no objection to the 

proposed visit. 

2. It was reported that Godfrey Phillips wished in futur e 

to receive part of their New Zealand branch profits in the form 

of royalties which would not be subject to tax in New Zealand . 

This 'would result in them having to pay more into the Pool as 

only New Zealand tax is taken into account for Pool purposes 

and U.K. tax is ignored. Godfrey Phillips had asked whether we 

would agree to their deducting the notional New Zealand ta x 

from the royalties in determining the amount that they should put 

into the Pool . 

In view of the fact that Carreras might claim that any 

variation of the strict terms of the Godfrey Phillips' Pool 

should be taken into account in the Carreras' Pool, it was 

agreed that we should agree to Godfrey Phillips' proposal but 

that we should tell them that the legal position regarding other 

interested parties requires further consideration, and that if 

we feel obliged to make additional payments to such other parties 

we would look to Godfrey Phillips to reimburse us . 


(.2o

Tuesday . 16th August 1955 . 


1. Mr. Ridley informed the meeting of the latest position 

with regard to the proposed take-over by Ardath of the manu- 

facture of Benson & ''edges' brands for export . 

2. Mr . Ridley reported that the Imperial might be interested 

in acquiring the Forthbank Factory. Details of the factory 

were being given to them and, if they wished to pursue the matter, 

it was agreed that we should ask a price of £110,000. 


i 

1

Thursday. 18th August 1955 . 

Messrs. Sargant, McAra and Ridley present . 

It bras reported that the cost of Phase I of the Port 

r,~' / 122 

Harcourt Factory project had now been estimated at £565,000 

in place of the original estimate of £464,000, vhich had been 

approved by the Meeting on the 5th December 1951 . Details of 

the revised estimate Were submitted and approved . 

Friday, 19th August 1955 . 


1. Copies of the circular which Benson & Sedges Ltd. sent 

to its stockholders on the 18th August, regarding the offer 

by Gallaher Ltd. to purchase the balance of the ordinary and 

preference capital, were submitted and read . 

2. It was agreed to recommend to the Board that, to assist 

Gallaher Ltd. in financing the purchase of leaf required for 

the manufacture of SENIOR SERVICE for export, B .A.T . should 

lend Gallaher a further £1,000,000 at one-half of 1 per cent 

over Bank Rate. 


0 

Wedneslay, 4th August 1955. 


present . 

Additional expenditure of £15,278 by Nigerian 

Tobacco Company on the Zaria Redrying Plant was authorised . 

This additional expenditure, which is in respect of tees and 

machinery and plant, makes the total amount authorised £232,000. 

Thursday, 25th August 1955 . 


present . 

With reference to Note No.1 of the 24th June, 

list of furniture which Malta Tobacco Company is proposing to 

purchase to complete the furnishing of the Manager's house in 

Malta was submitted and approved. The cost, including packing 

charges, is £570. 


I

Tuesdays 30th Aupst . 1955 . 


1. The case of Mr. A.C . Hartley was considered. Mr. 

Hartley, who looked after Imperial's and B .A.T's interests in 

Molina, is retiring on the 31st August 1955 with an allowance 

at the rate of £750 p.a., to be borne inlp portions by B .A .T ., 

Imperial and Molina . Imperial has provided a policy of 

insurance to the value of £1750 on maturity and it was recommended 

that B .A.T. should grant Mr . Hartley a leaving gratuity of £1,000 . 

2. A letter was read from the Harrison Line, Liverpool, 

asking the Company to complete a revised form of indemnity in 

respect of injuries which the Company's employees might suffer 

on visiting Harrison Line ships or premises . The Company gave 

a similar indemnity in 1948 and it was agreed that the Company 

should sign the revised form of indemnity. 

3. It was agreed that, as the suggestion to form Gallaher 

Export Company, in which Gallaher would have a share in the 

equity, had now been abandoned, we should now proceed with the 

agreement revising the existing Gallaher Pool Agreement so as 

to provide that Gallaher would receive an additional £5,000 p .a . 

under that Agreement. 


I

Wednesday. 31st August 1955 . 


1. Letter was read from Mr. Norman Jones about the 

Judgment which Rothmans have obtained in the High Court of 

Australia, ordering that W .D . & H.O. Wills' PALL MALL registra- 

tion be removed from the Register of Trade Marks on the ground 

of non-user. It was agreed to suggest to Australia that they 

should appeal against this decision and that immediate steps 

should be taken to arrange for regular user sales of their other 

American brands, LUCKY STRIKE, RALEIGH, VICEROY, OLD GOLD and 

KOOL. Mr . Sargant will w rite to Mr. Foley about the possibility 

of arranging regular supplies from Singapore or Hong Kong for 

Australian Z. or other sterling currency. 

2. With reference to note No.2 of the 11th July, it was 

reported that the house which Mr. W.C . Harrison, Chauffeur, was 

proposing to purchase at Staines was not acceptable to the 

Building Society. Mr. Harrison now has the opportunity of 

purchasing a house at Addlestone for £1925, of which the Building 

Society would advance £1500. In order to assist Mr. Harrison 

in meeting the balance of the purchase price, it was recommended 

that the Company should make him a loan of £300 at 2j% interest, 

repayable over a period of twenty years . 


Tuesday . 6th September 1955 . 


1. With reference to note No .2 of the 28th March 1955, 

the Chairman reported that Mr. Schreiber had, for personal 

reasons, requested permission to retire on the 31st December 

1955 instead of on the 31st December 1956, as previously agreed . 

It was agreed to consent to Mr. Schreiber`s retirement on the 

31st December 1955 . 

2. Memorandum by Mr. Barnett was read, suggesting that 

the Old India Pension Fund might be liquidated and arrangements 

made for the Overseas Pension Fund to take over the liability 

for present and future pensions under the O.I .P.F., the appro- 

priate amount of assets being transferred from the O .I .P.P. to 

the O .P .F. Any balance of the assets in the O.I .P.F. would be 

returned to Imperial of India. It was felt that if this could 

be arranged it would be more satisfactory from all points of view, 

and the proposal was agreed in principle . 

3. A recommendation that Mr . C .R .W. Alford, who is at 

present serving with B .A .T . (Hong Kong), should be transferred 

to the service of M.I.C ., Saigon, as General Manager in place 

of Mr . Drummond-Forbes, was approved. The transfer would take 

effect from 1st November 1955 and the pension grading would be 

£2,500 p.a . 


I 

I

Thursday . 8th September 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent and MeAra present . 

1. Memorandum by Personnel Department dated 7th September was 

read, recommending that the under-mentioned persons should be 

offered employment with the Company in its Research and Development 

Centre at Southampton, at the following salaries:- 

Age Salary p .a . 

S. Trippett Organic Chemist 29 £1,300 

K. Durham Physicist 31 £1,350 

N.E . Willis Research Engineer 31 £1,350 

All the above have first class qualifications and it was agreed 

that they should be entitled to specialist adjustment and that 

the cost of their ultimate removal expenses to Southampton should 

be borne by the Company, since they will all be either at Liverpool 

or London for a period before final posting to Southampton . 

This recommendation was approved subject, in the case 

of Mr. K. Durham, to the matter being cleared by Lever Brothers, 

with whom he is at present employed. 

2 . Memorandum dated 5th September was read, requesting 

approval for an additional expenditure of Rs .28,00,000 by Vazir 

Sultan Tobacco Company in respect of the modernisation scheme o f 

its factories in Hyderabad . The expenditure, which is in addition 

to the sum of Re .11,60,624 already authorised, will be spread over 

three phases ending in 1958. This additional expenditure was 

approved . 

3. It was agreed as shareholders to approve a recommendation 

that Mr. J.K. Hill, who is at present on home leave, should on 

his return to India be appointed as Sales Director of Imperial of 

India. Mr. Hill's salary will be increased to Ra .5,800 per month , 

with effect from let October 1955, and his pension grading will 

be increased to £3,750 p .a . 


b5985O10?

40 

4. It was reported that an enquiry had been received from 

estate agents in East Grinstead as to whether the Company woul d 

be interested in selling the woodland surrounding Chelwood Vachery . 

It was agreed in principle that the Company should retain only 

that part of the grounds of Chelwood Vachery which is require d 

for its use as a training centre and that consideration should be 

given to disposing of that part of the woodland and farmland not 

required for this purpose . 


(77

Monday, 12th September 194;5 . 


1. A recommendation that Mr. J.A. Stericker, who is at 

present serving with B.A.T . Co . (Hong Kong) Ltd., should be 

transferred to the service of East African Tobacco Co . Ltd., 

to replace Mr . J.J.C . Hopkins, was approved. The transfer 

would take effect from 1st October 1955, Mr . Stericker's salary 

to be at the rate of EA£2,700 p.a . and his pension grading £2,258 

p. a . 

2. Particulars of additional capital expenditure amounting 

to £S951 by Sudan Tobacco Company, in respect of staff houses at 

Khartoum, were submitted and approved. This is in addition to 

the £E56 .222 already authorised . 

3. Mr. McAra referred to the _, 

.:.t on t: e ;.ctuerial valuation 

of the B .A.T . Overseas Pensions Fund as at 30th June, 1955. It 

was agreed to recommend to the Committee of the Fund that pensioners 

and retired contributors,and widows of those pensioners who had 

surrendered in accordance with Rule 14 of the Fund, should be 

granted an increase of 5% of their pensions with effect from let 

July, 1955. It was noted that this would involve the appropria- 

40 tion of £25,000 of the surplus of £45,000 shown in the Valuation 

Balance Sheet, the margin of £20,000 being carried forward to the 

next Valuation. 


N 

CD 

Ui 

Co 

CT 

L5 

011 

I

0 

Thursday, 15th September 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargant and Clarke present , 

1 . Reference was made to the preliminary discussions with 

Imperial about the possible sale to Imperial of our Forthbank 

Factory for their Player's Branch . The price we have asked for 

the property is £120,000 and Imperial have offered '100,000. It 

was agreed to suggest to Imperial that we should split the differ- 

ence at £110,000. 

2. Letter was read from the Vokes Cardwell Company, sub- 

mitting a proof of an advertisement which they would like to 

issue in "Tobacco" and in leaflet form. The proof contains a 

brief acknowledgment of the part played by B .A.T. in the develop- 

ment of the Vokee Cardwell equipment and also photographs of the 

Vokes Cardwell Cleaning and Classifying Plant taken at Liverpool 

Factory. It was agreed there was no objection to the acknowledg- 

ment to B .A.T . or to the photographs of the Cleaning and Classify- 

ing Plant, but that to avoid creating an undesirable precedent , 

we should ask them not to say that the photographs were taken in 

one of B.A.T's factories. 


1 

Monday, 19th September, 1955. 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Ridley and Clarke present. 

The revised Rules of the Overseas Pensions Fund provid e 

that "salary" for a class C contributor shall mean the amount in 

sterling declared by his employing Company as his salary, subject 

to a maximum sum to be fixed from time to time by the Committee . 

It was agreed to recommend to the Committee that it should fix 

the maximum salary for the time being at £7,500, which is the 

highest target pension grading for any class C contributor a t 

the moment . 


I

Tuesday, 20th September 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Ridley and Clarke present . 

1. With reference to note No.l of the 15th September, 

letter was read from the Imperial, confirming that they are 

prepared to purchase Forthbank Factory for £110,000 . 

2. Memorandum by Mr. Lewis on, dated 19th September, was 

read, recommending certain increases in the free weekly 

cigarette issues for male and female factory staff and payroll 

employees at the Company's factories . The proposals as set 

out in the memorandum were approved . 

Mr. Ridley referred to the Company's flat at Buckingham 

Mews which is at present occupied by Mr. Schreiber. It was 

agreed in principle that when Mr . Schreiber vacates the flat the 

Company should take over .from him the furniture and fittings, 

and for this purpose a valuation should be made . 

4. It was reported that the forthcoming issue by Pakistan 

Tobacco Company was likely to be postponed for about a month . 


Wednesday, 21st September 1955 . 

Messrs . Ridley an? Clarke present . 

1. Letter was read from Mr. Moore (M.T.D .) about the 

following two appeals which M.T .D . have received :- 

1. From the Lady Templer Tuberculosis Hospital, towards 

the cost of which M .T.D . originally gave %10,000 . 

3v 

The Hospital has now been opened and the larger companies 

are being asked to endow a bed, of which the cost is 

estimated to be 05,000 p .a. and which confers the right 

to put forward the name of a patient for admission in 

respect of the endowment. Mr . Moore recommends that 

M.T .D. should give $5,000 p .a . for five years . 

2 . From the Singapore Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the 

Singapore Youth Sports Centre, for which a fund has boeen 

inaugurated by Mr. Malcolm Macdonald . Members of the 

Chamber are asked to make donations up to $2,000 and Mr . 

Moore recommends that M .T .D. should give $2,000 to this 

appeal . 

As shareholders, it was agreed to approve both these recommenda- 

tions . 

2. Letter was read from the Librarian of the Council of 

Industrial Design, who already have photographs of our Board Room 

for their library files, asking permission to make a lantern slide 

of one of the general views of the Board Room to add to their 

slide collection for use by lecturers on design. It was agreed 

there was no objection to this . 


Friday, 23rd Seutember 1955 . 

Messrs. Ridley and Clarke present . 

C0 0, . , 3 T 

1. Memorandum of additional capital expenditure of £E26,000 

by Eastern Company on the No .2 Factory extension at Ghizeh was 

submitted and approved. This expenditure is in addition to the 

original estimated cost of £E111,050 and is mainly due to the 

higher labour and building costs . 

2 . Letter was read from the Indonesia Association asking 

Founder Members, of whom B .A.T. is one, to reinstate their 

subscription to 100 guineas for the year 1956. From 1951 to 

1953 Founder Members paid an annual subscription of 100 guineas 

but for 1954/55 this was reduced to 50 guineas in view of the 

then satisfactory financial position of the Association. The 

Association will need additional funds in 1956 and it was recom- 

mended that B .A.T. should reinstate its subscription at 100 

guineas for that year . 


Monday, 26th September 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Ridley and Clarke present . 

With reference to note No .6 of the 17th January, it was 

reported that the offer made through the Hongkong & Shanghai 

Bank (Malaya) Trustee Limited of Straits ,2,500 p .a . for the 

21 acres at the Seaport site, Kuala Lumpur, had not been 

accepted. It is known that land in the vicinity has changed 

hands at up to A4,000 p.a ., and it was agreed to authorise the 

Hongkong & Shanghai Bank to offer up to, $4,000 p .a. (approxi- 

mately £500) for this site . 

2. The case of Mr . P.C .D. Hanson, who lost his life in the 

recent air crash in TriDolitania, was considered . Mr . Hanson 

had been engaged by Nigerian Tobacco Company and was on his way 

out to join that Company in Lagos. At the time of his death 

his name had not been submitted to the Committee of the O .P.F . 

for approval . On the wording of the Rules of the O.F.F . 

it was felt that the Committee could not now be asked to anzrove 

Mr. Hanson's entry to the Fund with effect from the date of his 

joining the Company and it was therefore recommended that the 

appropriate widow's benefit should be provided by Nigerian 

Tobacco Company . 


I

Tuesday. 27th September 1955 , 


1. Letter was read from Mr . Bond, South Africa, 

enclosing copies of letters and a memorandum dated 16th August 

received from Mr. Hockly, asking for reconsideration of his 

retirement benefits, with particular reference to "compensation" . 

After careful consideration, it was felt that the notice Mr . 

Hockly had received was reasonable and that his pension and other 

arrangements were fair and that we could not, therefore, recommend 

United (South) to make any further concession . 

2. At the request of Mr . Hare, it was agreed that Mr . 

3 . 

Kemaley should visit India for three weeks in October/November 

to advise Imperial of India on the organisation of its accounting 

set-up . 

It was agreed, as shareholders, to recommend the 

under-mentioned transfer s 

Mr. F.M.B. Bartlett from Nigerian Tobacco Co. Ltd . 

to Cie Congolaise des Tabacs, where he would take 

up the post of Accountant, with effect from the 31st 

October 1955, at the same pension grading of £2,000 p .a . 

Mr. G .R . Wildman from Cie Congolaise des Tabacs to 

Nigerian Tobacco Co . Ltd. as Accountant, with effect 

from the middle of November 1958, at the same pension 

grading of £2,062 p .a . 

4. Mr . Bristow was then asked to attend the meeting . He 


explained the latest position resulting from his talks with 

Mr. Wix about the Maspero business in Israel . 

Mr . Bristow also raised the question of K.D . & S's 

Haifa premises, which are at present leased to Maspero at a 

1

ent of Israeli £40,000. The lease ex---Ares on the 31st lay 

1956, Maspero being statutory tenants under the law in Israel . 

It was agreed that fir . Hitchcock should be asked to 

look for other suitable premises for leaf manipulation and 

storage . It is not thought that, if Mr . Viix acquired the 

Maspero business, he would wish to r emain in occupation of the 

Haifa premises at this high r ent . 


Wednesday, 28th September 1955 . 


1. The Chairman read a memorandum by Air . Clarke summarising 

the latest position in respect of the proposed issue by Pakistan 

Tobacco Company . It is now clear that there is no likelihood 

of an early price Increase and, that being so, it is impossible 

for Pakistan to go ahead with the Jhelum project unless it can 

raise additional cash . Subject to any contrary advice Sir 

Jeremy Raisman may give, it was agreed to recommend to Pakistan 

that the amount of the proposed issue should be increased from 

100 Lakhs to 150 Lakhs and that the necessary application to this 

effect should be made to the Controller of Capital Issues . 

10 2. Mr . Ridley reported that tenders have now been received 

for the erection of the proposed new Ardath Factory at Welwyn 

Garden City. The lowest tender is from Humphreys, in the 

amount of £445,000 with completion within 24 months . On this 

basis it is expected that the Factory would be equipped and 

running In 1958 . It was agreed, subject to any comments 

Imperial might have, to recommend to Ardath that they should 

accept Humphreys' tender . 

1' 3 

. As shareholders, it was agreed to recommend to Nigerian 

Tobacco Company that Mr . T.A.H . Slack should be appointed a 

Director and Chairman of the Board, with effect from the 16th 

October 1955 and that as from that date his pension grading 

should be increased from £2,273 p.a. to £2,750 p .a. and that he 

should receive a salary of West African £3,025 p .a. 

4. Letter was read from the Union Polyglotte about their 

proposal to form a new group within their Association to study 

English plays and asking for permission to call this group 

"PLAYERS PLEASE" . It was consi .iered that this would be 

undesirable and that the Union Polyglotte should be requested 

not to use this slogan. 


9 

5 . Prints of suggested covers for the B .A.T. Accounts 

in respect of the year to 30th September 1955 were submitted 

and the blue cover was chosen . 

6 . Memorandum by Mr. Langford was read, concerning certain 

investments of the Pension Funds which had proved to be 

unauthorised in view of a decision in the Courts early this year . 

On the basis of this memorandum it was agreed to recommend that 

the Companies concerned should pay into the Pension Funds in 

question the amount by which the losses of such investments 

exceed the profits in each separate Fund . 

7. It was agreed that Mr. Lewison should inform Heads of 

Departments of the proposed adjust-erts in salaries to certain 

members of the staff, with effect from the 1st October 1955, and 

that he should inform Heads of Departments that Mr. Misselbrook 

will call a meeting of them on Monday, 3rd October, to explain 

why these adjustments do not apply to those in receipt of 

salaries of £2,000 p.a . and over . 


Friday, 30th September 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheirn, Ridley and Clarke present . 

1 . With reference to note No.1 of the 28th September, ?'r . 

Clarke reported that Sir Jeremy Raisman had agreed that the 

proposed issue by Pakistan Tobacco Company should be increased 

to 150 Lakhs, and a draft cable to Pakistan making this recom- 

mendation was approved . 

2. Following Mr. Bryant's recent visit to Spain, it was 

reported that Philip Morris have agreed to sell their brand on 

consignment terms to Tabacalera. It was recommended that our 

American brands, "Lucky Strike", "Pall Mall", "Y,ool" and 

"Viceroy", should also be offered to Tabacalera on consignment 

terms, subject to At satisfactory arrangements being made for 

stock control and insurance and to payment being made during 

the month following sale. In the foreseeable future it is 

not envisaged that this will mean having at risk more than 

,135,000 at any one time . 


0 

1 . 

Monday, Ord October 19F5 . 

Messrs. Opaenheim, Ridley and Clarke present . 

Mr . Ridley referred to the original estimate of the 

/(-L& 

cost of the Research and Development Centre, which was £510,000 . 

Detailed estimates have now been received which show that the 

estimated cost is approximately £549,000, theaaiditional cost 

being largely due to electrical work and heatinf- and ventilating . 

This expenditure was approved . 

2 . It was agreed to recommend the under-mentioned transfers 

and appointments to the associated companies concerned :- 

1. The transfer of Kr. S.F . Phillips from East African 

Tobacco Company Limited to Eastern Company and his 

appointment to the Board of Eastern Company, with 

effect from the 1st March 1956, at a salary at the rat e 

of £E3,600 p.a . and a pension grading of £3,000 p.a. 

2 . The appointment of Mr . J.H. Stericker and }ix . W.K.Foster 

to the Board of East African Tobacco Co . Ltd. 

3. The appointment of Mr . C.L. Hill and Mr. J.W. Nichols 

to the Boards of B .A.T. (Hong Kong) and British Cigarette 

Co. Ltd . in place of Mr. P.D. Hastings and Mr. J .H . 

Stericker . 

It was agreed to recommend to the Board that Mr . J.H . 

Maslen should be transferred to the service of B .A .T. with effect 

from the 14th October 1955 at a salary at the rate of £3,750 p .a. 

It was also agreed that Mr. Maslen should be invited to become a 

member of the Senior Mess as from .he date of his transfer . 


i

Tuesday, 4th October 1955. 


1 . Memorandum was read concerning retirement benefits for 

locally engaged staff in Hong Kong . For various reasons i t 

pal 

has not been possible to introduce a pensions scheme for locally 

engaged employees and they are granted on retirement leaving 

gratuities on the basis of one month's salary for each year of 

service. The Malaya Scheme for locally engaged employees has 

recently been improved by increasing the Company's contributions 

from 10% to 15% of salary, and a recommendation that leaving 

gratuities for locally engaged staff in Hong Kong should be 

increased by a similar proportion (that is, an increase from one 

month's to one and a half months' salary for each year of 

service) was approved . 

2 . Letter was read from the Swedish Tobacco Monopoly with 

reference to a Committee which has been established by the 

Swedish Government to review the legal provisions affectin g 

retail trade in tobacco products in Sweden. The Tobacco Monopoly 

will be asked to comment on the Committee's report when it is 

issued, and to enable them to do this they would like to have a 

wider knowledge of the retail tobacco trade in other countries . 

For this purpose they would like the Secretary of the Tobacco 

Monopoly to visit England and they ask for our assistance . 

It was agreed that the matter should be referred to 

Ardath and that, if Ardath are unable to provide all the 

information that is required, we would then consider referring 

the matter to Imperial . 

3. Particulars of temporary and permanent staff for the 


period from 1st June to 30th September 1955 were submitted . The 

total staff strength at head office (excluding Directors and 

pupils) has increased during these three months from 705 to 72!4 . 

N 

C7 

Lfl 

cc 

CJ~ 

1.O

0 

Wednesday, 5th October 19 5 

Messrs . Oppenheim and Clarke present . 

1. Memorandum by Mr . Bristow dated 4th October was read, 

explaining that in view of the development of the Sudan Tobacco 

Company there was no advantage in Eastern Company continuing to 

supervise that territory . It was agreed that, with effect from 

the 1st January 1956, the advisory services to Sudan Tobacco 

Company should be rendered by B .A.T . instead of by Eastern 

Company . 

2. It was reported that additional finance amounting to 

3 . 

approximately £60,000 would be required by the Rift Valley 

Cigarette Company for the quarter ending 31st December 1955, 

mainly in respect of leaf purchases . It was agreed to provide 

this finance, which will bring the total amount advanced to 

Rift Valley Cigarette Company to £540,000 . 

Memorandum was read showin. the effect of the transfer 

of manufacture of ALBERT Blue from the V .K. to the Belgian Congo . 

It was agreed to give permission to go ahead with the planning 

of the transfer of manufacture of AL=_2T Blue to the Congo. 


a

Friday, 7th October 1955 . 


1 . It was reported that the Company had been asked t o 

join the Joint East and Central African Board . This organisa- 

A-3 

tion was formed on the recommendation of the Secretary of State 

it ,~for 

the Colonies some years ago and/is thought 14-m44ld be useful 

in presenting through various M .P's who are on its Executive 

Council the views of East and Central Africa. E.A.T. is a 

member and it was recommended that B .A .T . should join at a 

subscription of 10 guineas per annum . 

2. Reference was made to the East and West Friendship 

Council to which B.A .T., together with Shell, U .A.C. and John 

Holt, made a subscription of £250 last year . The Con-)any has 

been asked to continue its support ani it was agreed to recommend 

to the Board that we should give £250 this year . 

3 . Memorandum by Mr . Barnett dated 16th September was read 

about a proposed Pensions Scheme for locally engaged employees 

of staff grade of East African Tobacco Company . The scheme, 

which is similar to that introduced in Malaya recently, provides 

pensions on retirement at age 55, the pension being guaranteed 

for five years, and also benefits on death in service . The 

employee contributes 10,,%' of basic salary and the Company 15%. 

It was agreed to recommend this scheme to E .A.T . 

4 . Reference was made to the request which B.A.T., in 


common with other tobacco manufacturers, received from the 

French Embassy asking for certain statistical information abou t 

the tobacco business for the French Tobacco Regie . It was 

agreed that ?r . Bryant should write to Mr . Grimanelli, the 

Director-General of the French Regie, saying that any figures 

that we might give them would add little to those which have

9 

5 .. 

already been given by Imperial, particularly as our business is 

entirely for export . However, ss we should like to assist 

A-4- 

them, we should be pleased if they would like to arrange for one 

of their technical experts to visit one of our factories . 

b",r . Misselbrook and Ar . Barrett were than asked to 

attend the meeting and a memorandum from Louisville was con- 

sidered, suggesting certain alternations in the proposed revised 

pensions scheme for staff employees in the U .S.A. Under their 

new proposals pensionable service would be from age 25 to 6 3 

and Social Security benefits would be integrated in the scheme . 

It was felt that the reasons given for these proposals were not 

sufficiently compelling to justify so great a depa^ture from the 

principles adopted for our home and overseas pension funds and 

that B. & W. should be asked to adheres far as possible to theSt 

principles 


rv

0 

0 

Tuesday. 11th October 1955 . 


1. It was reported that Messrs . Green & Luxton, the makers 

of our soldering machines, had asked permission to supply 

electrically heated solder baths of a type developed at our 

Liverpool Factory. It was agreed that there was no objection 

to Messrs . Green & Luxton supplying baths of our design, subject 

to the payment to us of £5 for each bath . 

2. Mr. Bodda and Dr . Buch then attended the meeting and the 

following matters relating to Germany were discussed :- 

1 . A proposal to form a Company in West Berlin called 

Garbaty West, in partnership with Dr . Koerfer, to 

manufacture Garbaty brands under licence from the Hamburg 

Company, a subsidiary of B .A.T . (Deutschland) . The 

ultimate intention is that B .A .T . (Deutschland) through 

its subsidiaries, the Garbaty Company and Haus Bergmann, 

should hold a 70% interest in the new Company, although 

to get the Company formed in West Berlin and to obtain 

the benefits of the Municipal Credits, Dr . Koerfer will 

subscribe the majority of the initial capital . Once the 

Company has been formed, the capital will be increase d 

so that B.A.T. (Deutschland) will hold 70% of the capital . 

It was agreed that before a final decision was made 

a detailed plan should be submitted, showing the capital 

required for an initial manufacture of 30 million per 

month and the amount of the services fee to B .A .T . 

(Deutschland) based on profits . There should also be 

submitted a draft of the proposed agreement with Dr . 

Koerfer . 


2. A suggestion that the German Company should adopt a 

bonus scheme for factory employees based on a points 

system and involving the distribution of annroxinetely

9 

3% of the Company's taxable profits . 

It was agreed that details of this proposal should 

be examined by 11'r. Lewison, or some other person who has 

tp~, crw.~.~ 

knowledge of `~ _ . ..'~ _ here, and that, if 

necessary, he should pay a visit to Germany for that 

purpose. 

A proposal that the German Company should adopt a Pensions 

Scheme for staff and factory employees (excluding .essrs . 

von Reitzenstein and Soering) which would provide a pension 

of approximately 405o of the average salary over the five 

years preceding retirement for a full period of 40 years' 

service, with a reduction of . for each year of service 

less than !+0, with a minimum pension of 20% of salary for 

30 years' service . The contributions would be provided 

wholly by the Company, which would set aside an appropriate 

sum each year by way of reserve for this purpose . 

It was agreed that this proposal should be submitted 

to Mr . Barnett for consideration . 


I

Wednesday. 12th October 1955 . 


1 . Correspondence from India was read on the question of 

informing their covenanted staff about the provisions of the 

revised O .P.P . Rules . 

The Central Board of Revenue has now given a ruling 

that the Company's contributions will not be taxable in the 

hands of the individual and the Indian Company is optimistic tha t 

it will get permission to remit current contributions and the 

lump sum payments for back service, though a final decision may 

not be forthcoming from the Exchange Control Authorities before 

the end of the year. In the circumstances, it was recommended 

that the Indian Company should now issue copies of the revised 

O.P .P. Rules to each contributor, at the same time telling them 

that application is being made to the Authorities for permission 

to remit current contributions and the lump sum payments in 

respect of back service and that it is hoped such permission 

will be forthcoming, but, if not, the Company will communicate 

furthar with the staff . It is not recommended that, at thi s 

i stage, the Company should inform the staff that, if permission 

is not forthcoming, the Company itself will endeavour to deal 

with the matter by way of Rupee allowance. 

2 . Memorandum by Mr . Geldart, dated 11th October, was read, 

regarding the result of a conversation with Mr . J.O. Ramhro, of 

Hambros Bank. Mr . Hambro explained that Salzman's Rhodesian 

redrying and packing company was losing money and needed additional 

output and he enquired whether B .A.T . would be interested in 

purchasij,g shares in that Company and acquiring control of the 

redrying and packaging facilities . It was explained to Yr . 

Hambro that redrying was an ancillary business we would avoi d 

where we could and that we were already well served by Reid & 

Rowland and Mashonaland Tobacco Co . Ltd . in Rhodesia for redrying 

and th9t,therefore, B .A .T . woul 1 not he int~%.r--steel in Salzman's 

plant . 


Q

Thu^sda--, 13th October lei 

Wessrs . Oppenheim and Clarke present . 

1. It was reported that the British Red Cross had 

appealed to Player's Branch for cigarettes for their hurricane 

relief work in Grenada, 'Viest Indies, and that Player's had passed 

the appeal to us . A recommendation that we should give two cases 

(60,00c) Player's N/C Medium cigarettes in 50s A/T tins in res- 

ponse to this appeal was approved . 

2. It was reported that B.A.T. ('T'ong Kong) had received an 

enquiry for the purchase of some of tèir surplus machinery by 

/Okinawa the Ryukyu Tobacco Company/and the Tobacco Monopoly in Formosa . 

As the prospects of our embarking successfully on manufacture in 

Okinawa are very poor and as shipments to Okinawa and to Formosa 

have dwindled almost to nothing, it was agreed there was no 

objection to B.A.T . ( .long Kong) o_fferirs their surplus machinery 

to the Ryukyu Tobacco Company and the Formosan Tobacco Monopoly 

subject to the retention of certain machines for possible use in 

Manila and to satisfactory prices being agreed for the machines 

sold. 

3. Memorandum was read concerning ? ..r. I .D. McOmish, Middle 

East Department. Mr. Prc0mish's present accommodation is unsuit- 

able and he has the opportunity of purchasing a suitable hous e 

at Virginia Water for .21,750, upon which he can raise an advance 

from the Council of £1,430. To assist Mr . McOmish in meeting 

the balance of the purchase price and expenses, it was recommended 

that the Company should grant him a loan up to £200 at 2j5 p .a. 

interest, the loan to be repayable over 25 years, secured on 2nd 

mortgage . 


Friday= 14th October 191;5 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim and Clarke present . 

1. A memorandum by Mr . Bodde was read concerning a 

proposal that B .A .T. (C.E .) should build a new leaf warehouse in 

Hamburg. This proposal was agreed in principle subject t o 

the appropriate project sheet being submitted to the Aufaichtarat . 

2. Letter from Mr . Tatum, Louisville, was read, suggesting 

that Mr. D.W. Kyle of Tobacco Leaf Development Company, and Mr . 

A.W. Sudbury of B. & J.B . Machado Tobacco Company, should now be 

transferred from the ELAS Scheme to the O .P .F ., as they are British 

and likely to retire in the sterling area . Such a transfer would 

be possible under the revised rules of the O .P .F. upon payment 

into the Fund of the following amounts, inclusive of the sums 

transferred from ELAS :- 

D . W. Kyle £3,200 (on the basis that he is a 

specialist) 

A.W. Sudbury Z4,800 . 

It was agreed there was no objection in principle to 

these proposed transfers but it was decided that further con- 

sideration should be given as to whether the payment of £3,200 in 

respect of Mr. Kyle should be borne by Tobacco Leaf Development 

Company or by B .A.T . 

It was also agreed to consider whether there were any 

other British employees in Louisville supervised territories who 

should be transferred to the G.P.F . 


0 

Monday, 17th October 1955 . 


Mr. MeAra reported to the meeting on his visit to 

Canada and the United States . 

Tuesday, 18th October 1955 . 


Letter was read from the South Eastern Electricity 

Board requesting permission to erect one pole and two stays 

and to lay 10 yards of underground cable on the Company's 

property at Chelwood Vachery for the purpose of supplying 

electricity to .an adjoining property. It was agreed ther e 

was no objection to this, and the appropriate wayleave agreement 

would be signed. I 


Wednesday, 19th October 1255 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, MeAra and)Ridley present . 

1. Mr. McAra referred to the interest which is at present 

paid on the sums deposited with B .A.T. by B .A .T . (Hong Kong) . 

It was agreed that the interest on these deposits should be 

increased to 3j% p.a. except on £2,000,000 which is held on 

long term deposit, on which the interest will remain at 21 ;9 p .a. 

It was also agreed to suggest to Imperial that the 

interest payable on B.A.T's loan to Imperial should be increased 

from 31% to 4% p.a. 

2. With reference to note No .4 of the 20th September, it 

was reported that an independent valuation had now been made of 

the furniture, fixtures and additions at the Company's flat No-4 

Buckingham Mews, which is at present occupied by Mr. Schreiber. 

The Company will take over these furnishings at the agreed valua- 

tion of £1226. 8. 0. and this sum will be paid to Mr . Schreiber 

when he vacates the flat at the beginning of next year . 

It is proposed that the Company should then let th e 

flat furnished to Mr. Hare on terms to be agreed, it being clearly 

understood that no garage goes with the flat . 

3 Memorandum by Mr . Ridley dated the 18th October was read, 

arising out of the report made by Mr . Stewart on his visit to 

Pakistan, and Mr . Stewart and Mr. Geldart were asked to a ttend the 

meeting. It was agreed that action as outlined in the memorandum 

to improve the quality of manufacture at Mauripur should be taken 

as soon as possible . It was further agreed to recommend to 

Pakistan that the services of Mr. Harbord should be terminated. 

The terms of settlement with Mr . Harbord will be the subject of 

further consideration . 


i

h r da 20th-October 1995 . 


1 . Capital expenditure, amounting to Rs .7,09,000, by The 

Imperial Tobacco Company of India Ltd . on 'Welfare amenities at 

Monghyr, including workers' institute, hospital for workers and 

industrial housing, was submitted and approved . 

2. It was reported that Mr . H. Lowe, Liverpool Factory, 

was being pressed by his Bank to reduce his overdraft by £750 . 

To meet this demand, Mr. Lowe has endeavoured to arrange a loan 

from a building society of £750 on the security of his house, 

but has been unsuccessful in this and has now asked the Compan y 

10 whether it would be prepared to make him a loan of £750 on the 

security of his house . As it is the intention that Mr . Lowe 

should become Factory Manager at Liverpool in the near future and 

it is, therefore, undesirable that he should be forced to sell 

his house, and in view of the losses which he sustained in Chin a 

(for which he received relatively small compensation), it was 

agreed, in the special circumstances of this case, to recommend 

to the Board that the Company should make a loan to Mr . Lowe of 

40 £750 at 5% interest per annum, repayable over a period of six 

years, the loan to be made on the security of the deeds of his 

house . 


I

Monday. 24th October 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim and McAra present. 

1. Memorandum dated 21st October was read, recommending the 

introduction of a special group yardstick for key staff of Eastern 

Company, in view of the expanding responsibility of certain posts 

held by local management staff. The new yardstick aims to procure 

for special group key staff approximately 75% of the total emolu- 

ments of married, group 2 covenanted staff, except that the maximum 

benefits will be reached at age 53 instead of at age 47, as is the 

case in respect of the group 2 covenanted staff . The new yardstick, 

which will apply only in the first instance to Orphey (Personnel 

Manager, Factory). and Awadallah (chief of Taxation Department) was 

approved. 

2. A proposal to introduce a pensions scheme for local staff 

(at present 3 in number) in Gibraltar with the Gresham Life 

Assurance Society Ltd . was approved in principle. The scheme will 

follow substantially our own scheme for home staff employees and 

provide a 2/3rds pension for a full period of service from age 1 8 

to 63. 

3. Memorandum by Mr. Barnett dated 19th October was read, 

setting out certain suggested modifications in the staff pension 

arrangements of Odon Warland Company in Belgium . These sugges- 

ted amendments were approved . 

4. Memorandum by Mr . Bryant was read concerning the export 

of EMBASSY cigarettes which Lorillard makes to certain countries 

and upon which they pay us a royalty of 20 cents per mille . Mr. 

Cramer has explained that Lorillard have now agreed to supply the 

Swedish Tobacco Monopoly with EMBASSY in 5s and 4s packings for 

sale in vending machines and kiosks at a price of A4.40 f.o .b . 

American port, which is slightly below cost . It was agreed until 

further notice that we should accept a royalty of one-half cent per 

mille on these special packings . 


tV 

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Tuesday. 25th October 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim and McAra present . 

I. Memorandum by Mr. Stewart was read about the proposed 

alterations on the ground floor of Liverpool Factory to 

accommodate all sections of Liverpool Personnel Department , 

which are at present scattered about the building. The proposed 

alterations, which will cost £6,600 plus £985 in respect of 

furniture, were approved. 

2. A proposal that Pakistan should give Rs.20,000 to 

Flood Relief in Pakistan was approved . It was also agreed that 

Mr. Geldart should ask The Imperial Tobacco Company of India what 

contribution they propose to make to the Flood Relief Fund in India . 

Mr . D .R . Clarke was then asked to a ttend the meeting . 

3. Draft of the proposed new Overseas Agreement between 

B . & H. and B. & H. (Overseas) was considered. Under th e 

Agreement the Overseas Company will be appointed sole concessionaire 

and agent for the sale of B . & H's brands in the overseas market and 

on the execution of the Agreement the Overseas Company will pay an 

agreed lump sum, in consideration of which it will have the right 

to call for a transfer of the goodwill of the business in the 

overseas market at any time . 

The draft Agreement was approved for submission to 

Gallahers, subject to certain amendments . 

It was also agreed that B. & H. (Overseas) should make 

an interest free loan to Gallahers of £90,000 pending the payment 

of the capital sum under the above-mentioned Agreement . 

4. The question of the sale of our interest in Maspero 

(Israel) to Mr. Wix was considered and the following proposals 

were agreed in principle, subject to Mr . 'ix being able to make 

the necessary arrangements with the authorities in Israel :consideration 

1 . The purchase piriee for the sale of the shares in 


Maspero and the assignment to Mr . Wix of the Maspero 

Loans to be £110,000 . 

2 . Of this sum £40,000 would be payable to us in 

sterling on completion. 

3 . The difference between the balance of £70,000 and 

any amounts that Mr. Wix may have to remit to Israel 

during the next 12 months will be paid to us In sterling 

at the end of that period. 

4. The balance of the purchase consideration to be 

paid to us as the sterling loans fall due for repayment ; 

I

if Mr. Wig[ should decide to close down at the end of 

12 months, we to receive the balance of the purchase 

consideration as funds could be remitted to the U.K. 

f" f 

If it should not be possible to repay the sterling loans, 

in these circumstances we would receive payment in Israeli 

currency. 

Mr. Clarke then X%Pt the meeting and Mr . GFeldart was asked to 

attend. 

5. A letter to Mr. Geldart from Mr . Fox, Ceylon, was read, 

recommending the appointment of a Ceylon national to t he Board 

of Ceylon Tobacco Company and suggesting Mr . Kadirgamar, a 

distinguished lawyer and former President of the Law Society i n 

Ceylon, as a possible appointee. It was agreed in principle to 

introduce a Ceylon national to the Board and Mr . Geldart will 

cable Mr. Hare (who is at present in Ceylon) asking for his 

suggestions. 


I 

I

Wednesday, 26th October 1955 . 


1. Mr. McAra referred to the proposal to convert the 

existing Provident Fund for staff and workpeople of the German 

Companies into a Pension Scheme . Under the new Scheme, which 

is non-contributory, the retiring age would be 65 and the 

pension fraction for existing employees would .be 459 of 

"breadline" salary for 20 years of service plus 1% of salary 

in excess of the breadline for each year . of .service. For 

future employees (including existing employees with less than 

20 years` service) the pension would be 1% of Salary for each 

year of service . 

The proposals were approved in principle, subject to 

further consideration about specialist adjustment and earlier 

retirement of employees with the Company's consent . 

2. With reference to note No .2_of the let September 1954, 

letter was read from Imperial reporting that they had made a 

further loan in respect of Kachalola, amounting to £2,929 .2. 6. 

It was agreed_,that B.A.T. should make a payment of £1,464 .11.3. 

to Imperial in respect of our one-half share of this further 

loan . 


Thursday, 27th October 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim and MoAra present . 

1 . The possibility of Ardath acquiring Dobbleman's shag 

and cigarette business in Holland was considered . On the basis 

of the reports which Mr . McAra submitted to the meeting, it was 

decided to advise Ardath not to purchase the business . 

2. Letter was read from Gallaher, suggesting an upward 

adjustment in the provisional prices they have been charging us 

since April 1955 for the manufacture of SENIOR SERVICE in 25s and 

50s packings for export . These adjustments, which in total 

involve a payment to Gallaher of approximately -03,960, were 

considered reasonable, and it was agreed that B .A.T . should take 

up this charge . 

The September prices, which are as set out below, will 

continue for the future subject to changes under the "escalator" 

clause :- 

25s boxes 21/- 

50s flat boxes 20/3d . 

50s flat tins 23/3d . 

50s A/T tins 21/6d. 


r 

I

Mondry, 31st October 1955 . 


The outline of Ww 0 proposed Medical Scheme for the 

British staff of the leading Companies in the Sudan was considered 

and Mr. Bristow and Mr . Kneale were asked to attend the meeting . 

In view of the deterioration in the standards of the medical 

facilities provided by the Government in the Sudan following the 

Sudanisation of the Sudan Medical Service, the leading British . 

Companies are contemplating the formation of a non-profit making 

private company, which would rent suitable premises for use as a 

clinic and nursing home with appropriate medical staff, for use 

by the British employees of these Companies . The paid up 

capital of the Company would be £E .5,000, of which Sudan Tobacco 

Company's share would be £E .625 . The running expenses are 

estimated to be £E.12,000 p .a ., of which the Sudan Company's 

proportion on a per capita basis would be approximately £E .350 

p . a . 

The scheme was approved in principle, subject to the 

right to revise the annual scale in the light of experience , 

it being considered desirable that the scale should provide only 

for the basic essentials and that items which could properly be 

charged to the patients (and recouped to them by the Company) 

should be so charged . 


E 

0 

Tuesday, 1st November 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim and McAra present . 

1. Memorandum by Mr. Stewart was read, recommending the 

purchase of additional cars in view of the need for transport 

for Chelwood Vachery . The following recommendations were 

approved in principle :- 

1 . That the present Humber Super Snipe be allocated 

to Chelwood immediately . 

2. That a Morris Oxford 7-seater shooting brake be 

purchased for Chelwood in the New Year . 

That two Armstrong Siddeley Sapphires be purchased 

for use in London, the type of Sapphire to be the 

subject of further consideration . 

4. That the existing Ford Prefect be used entirely for 

Dock work, driven by ?r . Sharpe, of the Traffic 

Department . 

2. With reference to note No .2 of the 25th October, it was 

reported that The Imperial Tobacco Company of India were proposing 

to contribute Rs.10,000 to the Flood Relief Fund in India . 


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2 . 

Thursday, 3rd 'November 1955 , 


Reference was made to an Agreement of the 15th 

November 1945 between J.A. Pattreiouex (Overseas) Ltd. and 

Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada Ltd ., whereby Pattreiouex 

agreed to supply the Canadian Company with its requirements of 

SENIOR SERVICE cigarettes at cost plus 2/6d . per mille f.o.b. 

U.B. port, or such other price as might be agreed between the 

parties from time to time . 

This Agreement was terminated in 1953 but Canada would 

now like to revive it . It was agreed that there was no 

objection to t his and that Mr. Langford would send Mr . Wood 

draft of a suitable agreement . 

Particulars of retirements for which calculations have 

been made on the normal basis between 10th August and 31st 

October were submitted. 


/6o

Friday, teth November 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim and McAra Present . 

1 . The Chairman read a letter from Moor Park College, 

appealing for funds to enable it to extend and equip the 

College so as to link up with the Oversee Service . The object 

of the Oversea Service is to provide for men and women who g o 

C` r 

out from this country, whether in Government or private employment, 

some understanding of the problems of the peoples among whom the y 

will work. 

It was agreed to recommend to the Board that the Compan y 

should give a "one-time" donation of £1,000 in response to this 

appeal . 

2. A circular letter which is being sent under Mr. Barnett's 

signature to all associated companies which have employees who are 

Class C contributors in the Q .P .F . was submitted and approved. A 

copy of the circular is attached to this note. 

3. With reference to note No . 5 of the 25th October, a 

cable from Mr . Hare to Mr. Geldart was read, confirming that, 

in pursuance of the policy of Ceylonisation, it would be an 

advantage if Mr . Kadirgamar were invited to join the Board of 

Ceylon Tobacco Company. 


40 

0 

Monday, 7th November 1955 . 


To ensure that the presence at head office of 

visitors from overseas is known to all at head office wh o 

may want to see them, it was agreed that the person responsible 

for arranging the visit should notify Cable Department in 

advance and that Cable Department should publish each week in 

the cable list particulars of the dates and times of fcnthcoming 

visits . Where necessary, interim lists will be published by 

the Cable Department during the week. 

Tuesday, 8th November 1955 . C 

Messrs . Oppenheim and LicAra present . 

Letter from Mr . Yeanan was read about the proposed 

manufacture of RALEIGH cigarettes by Tabacalera Istmena in Panama . 

Louisville recommend that the usual royalty of 25 cents per 1,000 

cigarettes be reduced in this case,until further notice, to 10 centE 

per 1,000, as the present selling price of the brand will not 

support a royalty of 25 cents . This was agreed. 


Thursday, 10th November 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim and ?cAra present . 

1. Letter from Mr. Boerma to Mr. Bryant was read about a 

meeting of tobacco manufacturers in Holland, which had been 

called by the Ministry of Finance at The Hague to discuss the 

possible unification of excise duties between Holland and Belgium . 

Although no agreement has yet been reached between these two 

countries, it was agreed that Legal Department should consider 

what steps should be taken by our associated companies in 

Holland and Belgium to protect their trade marks in each other's 

countries, without deciding at this stage whether, in the event 

of unification, it should be our policy to encourage our Dutch 

and Belgian associated companies to trade in each other' s 

territories. 

2. Additional expenditure of £1,957 by Pioneer Tobacco Company 

in respect of the Takoradi Factory Project was submitted and 

approved . Thisbrings the total amount authorised to £110,000 . 


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Friday, 11th November 155 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim and ?,c-Ara present. 

1 . A summary of the proposed new Pension Scheme for 

2 . 

Dutch male and female staff of B.A.T. (Holland) was submitted 

and approved . The new Fund will be substantially in line iith 

our revised pension benefits . 

With reference to note No .3 of the 19th October, 

memorandum was read concerning Mr . H.S. Earbord, Pakistan . 

It was recommended that Pakistan Tobacco Company should pay 

br . karbord on the termination of his employment the sum of 

Rs.56,000. 

3. Additional expenditure by K.T .L. on the Singapore 

housing scheme at Dalvey Road, anounttng to S057,300 , wa s 

submitted and approved. This makes the total amount authorised 

59475 , occ. 

11,. Letter was read from the China American Tobacco 

Company about the amounts alleged to be due to that Company 

by Yee Tsoong Tobacco Company in respect of leaf purchased in 

Shanghai. It was agreed to reply that the directors of Y.T .T . 

who have now returned from China confirm that Y.T .T. discharged, 

in full,payments on account of this leaf in accordance with the 

law in China and that, accordingly, nothing further is due to the 

China American Tobacco Company from X .T .T. 


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Monday, 14th November l95 ~ 

Messrs . Oppenheim and ..c^'ra present . 

1. Further to note No .1 of 12th July 1955, memorandum was 

IL a 

read recommending that Mr . Candle s`,ould be granted an allowance 

to meet his living expenses while in this country of £ 12 a 

week for a period of one month or until he fin i a flat, 

whichever is the earlier . The recommendation was approved . 

2 . Memorandum was read concerning Mr. B.G . Albright, .vho 

is purchasing a house . He has asked whether the Company 

would lend him £2,500 which he vould repay out of the co- :suta- 

tion of part of his pension when he retires from The Imperial 

Tobacco Company of India Ltd . It was agreed that the Company 

should lend £2,500 to i~r. Albright at 2 7'5: interest on a second 

mortgage of his house, the whole sum to be repayable within 

twelve months . 

An appeal for the 'lest Indies Hurricane Relief Fund was 

considered . The local companies in Barbados, Trinidad, 

Jamaica and British Guiana were all making contributions and, 

in addition, B.A.T. had giver. 6,^,G00 Player's cigarettes to the 

Red Cross for relief in Grenada . It was agreed that the 

Company should make a contribution of £50 to the Relief Fund, 

explaining that its associated companies had made local contribu- 

tions . 


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Tuesdays 22nd November 1955 . 


1. It was agreed to examine the possibility of holding the 

B.A.T. Board Meeting in future at 10 a .m. each Tuesday instead 

of 11 a.m. as at present. 

2. A proposal that the set-up of Cope & Lloyd (Overseas) Ltd . 

r(4 

should be the same as that of Benson & Hedges (Overseas) Ltd. and 

Peter Jackson (Overseas) Ltd. was approved. This involve s 

B .A .T . selling its beneficial interest in the shares of Cope & 

Lloyd (Overseas) Ltd . to Oakland Tobacco Company Limited, the 

shares to be registered in the name of Lloyds Bank City Office 

Nominees, and the present directors, who are members of the Legal 

Department, being replaced by Messrs . Grose, Beavis, Ding and 

Albright . 

Wednesday . 23rd November 1955 . 


Memorandum showing the preliminary estimates of the 

cost of repairs, decorations and alterations at Chelwood Vachery 

was submitted and Mr. Stewart was asked to attend the meeting. 

After discussion, the preliminary estimates amounting to £59,500 

were approved. 


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Monday, 28th November 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, }cAra and Ridley present . 

A proposal that the length of the smaller development 

hail at the R . & D. Centre, Southampton, should be extended 

from 120 feet to 180 feet in order to accommodate the Reformed 

Tobacco Sheet machine, at an additional cost of £28,800, was 

approved . It would be possible to extend the hail a furthe r 

80 feet in the future, should further expansion later be required . 


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Tuesday, 29th November 1955. 


1. Further to note No.1 of the 14th November, it was 

reported that Mr. Condie had now obtained a flat at a rent of 

10 guineas a week and a proposal that the Company should crake him 

an allowance of £7.10.0. a creek, so long as his stay in this 

country is regarded as temporary, was approved . 

2 . It was agreed to recommend to the Board that in place of 

the Christmas Gift to the staff the Directors should make AGG~~ari e 

gratia gift to all members of the staff (other than Directors and 

Pupils), the maximum for which would, unless the Directors other- 

wise decided in exceptional cases, be calculated on the following 

basis 

I~ (A) 

! 

(B) 

(C ) 

(D) 

Up to and including 

24 years' completed 

service 


service but less than 


service 


service but less than 


service 


service or more 

One quarter of a 

month's salaryrr 4u4to. r 

One half of a 

month's salary,rr~ .4 IV-4," f 

Three quarters of 

a month's salarynk1 1 

For those with less than one year's service the calculation 

would be on tfw following basis :- 

Over 9 months' completed Three quarters of 

service but under 12 (A) above . 

months' completed servic e 

Over 6 months' completed One half of (A) 

service but under 9 above . 


Over 3 months' completed One quarter of 

service but under 6 (A) above . 


Under 3 months' completed Nil . 

service 


An7 overseas service will be converted into the 

I

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The maximum ex gratis gift on the above basis will only 

be paid if there is a satisfactory report from the individual's 

Head of Department . 

3. It was agreed to recommend to the Board that Christmas 

Gifts should be made to the male and female factory workpeople 

on the following basis :- 

10 to 20 years' service - 2/5ths of the national adult 

basic weekly wag e 

20 to 25 years' service - 3/5ths do . 

25 to 30 years' service - 4/5ths do. 

30 years' service and over - One week's pay at national 

adult basic wage. 


f6 7

46 

0 

Wedn2sday, 30th November 1955 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, McAra and Ridley pre -sent . 

1. Mr . McAra reported that it now appeared that the Board 

of Westminster Nominees Limited could appoint additional 

Directors and it was agreed that Messrs . Ridley, Oeldart 

and Gelathorp should be appointed . 

2. Mr . McAra reported that he had asked Mr . Newcombe to 

prepare a memorandum on the work which the Statistical Depart- 

ment would deal with over the next twelve months. He hoped 

that this would enable Mr . Newcombe to be free to deal with 

leaf statistics. 


170

0 

Thursday . lst December 1955 . 


1. An appeal from the Council of Industrial Design for a 

donation towards the cost of setting up a Design Centre for British 

Industries in the Haymarket, London, was considered. The cost 

of the Centre would be £140,000, to which the Government had 

agreed to contribute substantially, and Trade and Industry were 

being asked to contribute £50,000 . It was agreed to recommend 

to the Board that the Company should make a donation of £100 . 

2. Memorandum concerning the late Mr . A. Heikkinen, of 

Suomen Tupakka 0/Y, who died on the 31st October 1955, was con- 

sidered. The Company in Finland has no Pension Scheme at present 

and there is no provision for widows' allowances . The memoran- 

dum recommended that Mrs . Heikkinen should be granted an allowance 

by the Finnish Company of F.Marks 12,600 a month, and this recom- 

mendation was approved . 


0 

Friday'. 2nd December 1955 . 

Messrs. 0ppenheim, McAra and Ridley present . 

1. It was reported that Mr . K.A. Karlsson was retiring 

from the service of Suomen Tupakka 0/Y on 31st July 1956, when 

he would be 70 years old . As the Company had no pension scheme 

at present, it was recommended that fir . Karlsson should be 

granted, on retirement, an allowance of 605 of his final salary, 

which would amount to F .Mks.90,000 a month. It was further 

recommended that he should not be granted any leaving gratuity 

and that no mention should be made to him of any possible widow's 

allowance . These recommendations were approved. 

2. It was agreed that the fee paid to Sir Charles Ellis 

should be increased as from 1st January 1956 to at the rate of 

£5,000 a year . It was further agreed that when Sir Charles 

Ellis was travelling on the Company's business he should receive 

the same travelling allowance as a Director . 


Monday. 5th December 1955. 

Messrs. Oppenheim, hcAra and Ridley present . 

Particulars of retirements, pension to widow of 

a deceased employee and allowance to widow of a deceased payroll 

pensioner, for which calculations have been made on the normal 

basis between let November and 30th November 1955, were submitte d 

and approved. 

Tugs y. 6th December 1955 . 


Further to note of the 7th October 1954 approving 

the expenditure of £58,749 on improving the kitchen and 

canteen at the Liverpool Branch, memorandum was read recommending 

that a false ceiling should be put in the proposed new kitchen 

and canteen (in which would be included flush lighting and a 

heating and ventilating installation) at an additional cost of 

£15,000. This additional expenditure was approved . 


J

Wednesday, 7th December 1955 . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, UcAra and Ridley present . 

1 . Letter from Colonel Hartfield was read, stating that he 

had informed Messrs . Cullman and Heymans, of T .P.E .C . , of our 

offer of U.S .,$10 .00 a share for T.P .E.C's holding of shares in 

B.A.T. (Hong Kong) . Mr. Cullman said that he was prepared to 

accept U .S.$12.00 a share and that, if his counter offer were 

accepted, T.P .E.C . would be put into liouidation . 

Colonel Hartfield suggested that we might increase our 

offer by extending the calculation of the net asset value of the 

shares to take into account the profits of the Hong Kong Company 

for the year ended 30th September, 1955 . This worked out at 

U.S.Cts.70 a share and it was agreed that Colonel Martfield should 

be informed that we were prepared to increase our offer t o 

U. S.,$10. 70 a share provided T . P. E . C . accepted the offer not later 

than 20th December and that Liggett & Ayers agreed to accept the 

same price . 

2. It was reported that the F .B.I . had approached us as a 

holder of the debenture stock of the Federation to agree to their 

surrendering a small area of land at the back of their building 

in Tothill Street, on which the debenture was secured, to their 

around Landlords, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. It was 

agreed to raise no objection . 

3. It was reported that Air . Anspach had been approached t o 

40 find out whether B.A.T. would be prepared to join an International 

Secretariat for collaboration in scientific studies relating to 

tobacco, which had been proposed at the recent International 

Scientific Congreos on Tobacco which Dr. Evers had attended in 

September . It was agreed that B .A .T . should not join the 

proposed organisation and that the Secretary should inform Mr . 

Anspach accordingly . 


40 

Tuesday . 13th December 125.5_. 

Messrs. Oppenheim, McAra and Ridley-present . 

1. It was reported that the two members representing the 

Tobacco Industry Panel on the Grand Council of the F.B .I., 

Messrs. Oppenheim and Money-Coutts, were due to retire at the 

Annual General Meeting of the Federation to be held in the Spring 

of 1956, but were eligible for re-election for a further period 

of three years . Members of the Tobacco Industry Panel were 

entitled to nominate two members . It was agreed that this 

Company should nominate Mr. Oppenheim and, if Imperial so desired, 

Mr. Money-Coutts . We would consider nominating someone in 

place of Mr. Oppenheim when he came up for re-election again in 

1959 . 

2 . With reference to Note No.1 of the 1st November, it 

was agreed that one of the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphires should 

have a glass partition. The additional cost of this type of 

body would be £1,000. 


Ngdnesday, 14th December 1955 . 


~,~ r a:=t:~ ~~1 6 

1. Letter from Mr. R.J.E . Price was read, a sking whether 

there was any objection to the history which had beenprepared of 

the take-over of our associated companies' assets in China by 

the Peoples Government being shown, in confidence, to Jardines, 

who were in the course of preparing a similar history regarding 

the take-over of their interests. It was agreed that there was 

no objection but that Mr. Price should ask whether we might see 

Jardines' history when it was completed . 

2. Design Project Form for a 50 gramme Skruseal tin for 

3 . 

Capstan N/C Medium tobacco following the U .R. standard design 

which was shortly to be adopted by the Danish Company, together 

with samples of the tin, was submitted and noted . 

It was agreed that Messrs . Dobson and Misselbrook 

should become members of the Committee of Directors. Mr . 

Langford would continue to attend the Chairman's Committee and 

Mr. McCormick would continue to represent the Legal Department 

at meetings of the Committee of Directors . 


Friday . 16th December 1955 . 


1 . List of donations to local Liverpool Charities which 

the Branch Manager recommended he should be authorised to make 

during the period from 1st October 1955 to 30th September 1956, 

r? ? 

amounting in total to £487 .15. 0., was approved for submission to 

the Board. 

2. With reference to note No.2 of 5th October 1955, memorandum 

was submitted, recommending that Rift Valley Cigarette Company 

should be granted additional advances on current account of £30,000, 

making a total advance on current account of £570,000 . This 

recommendation was approved. 


N 

O 

C3 

U, 

Co 

U, 

I 

I

Tuesday, 20th December 1955 . 


It was reported that the pensions scheme for local staff 

in Mauritius with the Anglo-Mauritius Assurance Society had a 

salary limit which was fixed at Ra.19,200 p .a. when the scheme 

was inaugurated in 1953. Mr. Cripp s had suggested that, as 

the ceiling salary for Group 1 non-covenanted staff would be 

Re .26,400 as from let January 1956, the salary limit in the 

scheme should either be increased or removed entirely. It 

had been suggested that the salary limit might be increased to 

Rs.40,000 p .a., which was approximately equivalent to the O.P.F . 

limit of £3,000 p .s. As a limit of Rs .40,000 might lead the 

local staff to believe that top salaries might be increased to 

this amount (which was unlikely at present), it was agreed to 

recommend that the salary limit should be Rs .30,000 p .a. If 

top salaries increased above this amount in the future, the limit 

could be increased again at that time . 


I

Thursday, 22nd December 1955 . 


r?o 

It was agreed to purchase from Godfrey Phillips Ltd. 720,230 lbs 

of 1953/54 crop Virginia leaf at a total cost of £192,715 .19 .7. 

and that payment therefor should be made before the 10t h 

January 1956, which was the date on which Godfrey Phillips 

proposed to complete the purchase of the Dobie's business . 


I

Wednesday, 28th December 1955 . 


Cable was read from Mr. Bruton saying that Mr. Lewis 

had been urged to accept a directorship of the Citizens Fidelity 

Bank. It was agreed there was no objection to Mr . Lewi s 

accepting this directorship on the understanding that it would 

not embarrass B . & W's banking arrangements . 


N) 

C.~ 

tJ1 

CA 

"~i

Thursday, 19th December 1951. 

Messrs . Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra and Bodde 

present . 

With reference to note No .2 of the 18th December, 

Mr. Sargent reported that a further meeting had been held 

yesterday to discuss the problem of "Player's", as a result 

of which it was recommended that in tourist areas we shoul d 

/2 2. 

make our "Player's" as nearly as possible a replica of Imperial's 

except in respect of the overlap and the 200s outers. This 

recommendation was approved . 

Friday, 20th December 1957 . 

Messrs. Sargent, McAra and Bodde present . 

Letter was read from the Imperial of G.B . & I .) 

expressing their thanks for the generous hospitality and help 

given by B. & W. and Imperial of Canada to members of Imperial's 

management who have visited the North American Continent during 

the year . It was agreed that a copy of Imperial's letter should 

be sent to Mr . Lewis and Mr . 'Hood. 

Tuesday, 24th December 1957. f C :. . 

Messrs . Oppenheim, tcAra, Ridley and 'godde 

present . 

Additional capital expenditure by East African Tobacco 

Company Limited of E.A.Shillings 685,580 in respect of the 

Nairobi Factory was authorised . This ma1ces the final 

estimated cost E .A. Shillings 17,880,000 . 

Tuesday, 31st December 1957 . 

Messrs. Oppenheim, Sargent, McAra, Ridley and 

Bodde present . 

Memorandum was real about ?r. J. MacKnight, who retire d 

from the service of B .A.T. (Hong Kong) on 31st July 1938 before N 

the surrender regulations came into force . Mr . :jacY_nipht bee O 

recently died, leaving a widow, and it was agreed to recommend to CD 

B .A .T . (Hong Kong) that they should grant the widow a free widow's (- n 

Cb 

allowance of £165 . 8 . 0. per annum . ; v 

CD 

110

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