New Zealand Smoker, $60USD/Pouch!!

Hey Guys,
I'm a beginner pipe smoker situated in New Zealand. I First got into tobacco with cigars and have enjoyed tobacco products a few times a week ever since. Coincidentally, cigars here are in low demand, low supply and high price, and never stored in a proper humidor. $25USD easy for a standard cigar of low/medium quality.
I want to switch over to pipes because I like a bit of nicotine every now and then and I don't want to have to finish a whole cigarillo or cigar.
Problem is there is only one online store in NZ for pipe tobacco. Get a load of this; between 70NZD and 90NZD (60-77USD) per 35 or 50g quantity of tobacco. That's right, 66-70USD per pouch or tin of tobacco. And it aint high quality brands, 10 brands in total and only 6 are kept in stock. NZ customs charges 700NZD (600USD) per KG of tobacco products +15% sales tax and a $50USD handling fee for all shipments requiring processing.
We used to have a tobacconist in the city but that was flattened in the 2011 feb earthquake and I dont know where he's gone.
To the big question, would anyone know someone or a supplier that would be able to help me out by marking shipments as gifts or something similar? I smoke very little as mentioned above and I really can't afford $70NZD+ for a pouch of tobacco that I haven't tried before.
Thanks

Thanks for the input guys. I thought I was going to get shunned at the suggestion of getting tobacco past customs.
I'm studying engineering and I don't have time to grow tobacco. It's only practical to outsource it to the companies that do it. I make my own beer but tobacco is too much of a stretch. The only time to really grow here is spring; summer is hot and dry and winter is just too cold.
I've ordered a 1oz bag of lane limited 1Q tobacco(for like $2.50usd + shipping??!) from smokingpipes.com, I assume they're going to give it all the proper paperwork. Even if it's declared as tobacco will small packages usually slip through without unnoticed without these outrageous duties?
I'm keen to order a few more pouches (probably some dunhill, captain black, prince albert and maybe a handful of others) so I can have a good taste of the different brands. Definitely want to try some british tobaccos. Been mainly looking at entry level tobaccos, but I hope I don't get them and dislike the taste (1Q has been described by one or two people like the candy isle in walmart lol?)
I want a tobacco that's like a good cigar, I'm a big fan of high cocoa chocolate as well. The past weeks I've smoked a few cheap "wee willem" cigarillous (really awful but there's not much else available), so I've put up with some pretty low grade tobacco products and my palate is hardly new to strong(currently unpleasant) flavours. Something medium taste that doesn't leave a cheap, bad residue in my mouth. I can really appreciate quality tobacco and cigars, I've had some mid range cigars here and I really enjoyed the complex flavours. I can taste the effort and time that's gone in, I don't want some mild, weak and cheap tobacco that everyone likes because it's so tasteless (like most lagers?hahaha)
Maybe someone could suggest a good tobacco based on the above description

Fresh kava contains pipermethystine which is purportedly hepatotoxic. Good that you're getting dried stuff, it contains significantly less . I've never heard of the drink made from it...
Getting something past customs would be as simple as declaring it as something else. Finding someone willing to do this would be a bit hard, all the websites I have seen are strict on declarations.
Chinese/indochinese/south american/ex societ bloc mail is all scrutinized highly here in NZ; things like US/euro/aus (i.e civilized countries gets through with a lot less scrutiny. Size is very important too; packages under 1kg get less attention than ones over, but anything over about 5kg usually gets checked regardless where its from. I have a bit of experience doing this as I'm quite competent with my organic chem, but there are many variables.