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Story: Auckland places

Riverhead tobacco

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Riverhead tobacco

In the 1920s the entrepreneur Johann Husheer moved to Riverhead and began growing tobacco. The next year he formed the National Tobacco Company, processing the Auckland-grown leaf at his factory in Napier, from where he launched the Riverhead Gold brand of tobacco.

This card was used to advertise the tobacco. The text includes the lines: ‘The only toasted tobacco on the New Zealand market, No cough, no bite; does not injure heart, lungs, or throat. Medical authorities recommend it.’

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: Eph-C-TOBBACCO-NTC-1920s-02

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Margaret McClure, Auckland places – Kaipara Harbour and kauri towns, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/ephemera/16109/riverhead-tobacco (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Margaret McClure, published 2 March 2009, updated 5 August 2016.

Comments

Harriet
28 May 2018
There is some information on the National Library's website: https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22825009 that reports the woman as Ruby Simmonds, born in 1904.
Wendy McGregor
27 January 2018
Does anyone know the name of the lady who is pictured on the Riverhead Tobacco tins/advertising. We believe she may have been our relative and would like to try and get confirmation. Kind regards Wendy