PETROL FOR FARM TRUCKS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23111, 29 August 1940, Page 6

PETROL FOR FARM TRUCKS

CONTROL OF FUEL IN CANTERBURY ALLEGED HINDRANCE TO PRODUCTION Complaints that farmers in the North Canterbury-district. were being penalised by the petrol restrictions in the use of their trucks for farm purposes, to the detriment of their efforts to increase production, were made at yesterday’s meeting of the executive of the North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. Mr W. W. Mulholland, Dominion president of the union, who was present, assured the meeting that the petrol regulations were well administered in most districts. But it appeared that some fuel controllers and committees were using their own discretion- to a considerable extent, and ignoring the Government’s policy . Mr Mulholland advised members to bring any specific cases to the notice of their representatives on the district oil fuel committee. He was sure that appeals would be allowed and that the Government's policy would be brought to the notice of the committee. The district president (Mr R. G. Bishop) said he thought the restrictions were much 100 severe. Farmers were hampered by being unable to use their trucks for small cartage jobs. In one case a transport operator had travelled 12 miles to pick up two pigs. North Canterbury was one of the worst districts. Mr A. M. Carpenter said that much had been heard of uneconomic running by farmers, but he had heard nothing of uneconomic journeys of 12 hiiles for two bacon pigs. Farmers could load their trucks long after ordinary operators ceased work, and were on the road at early hours. If was this extra time that was so vital to increased production. Policy of Government From information not generally available, said Mr Mulholland, he knew there was no question about the need of saving petrol. Further, slocks had to be built up sufficient for industry, including farming, and to fight with. 'He had bden (old that the present restrictions allowed as much petrol as the country was using four years ago. That might not be realised by everyone, “I think you will find that the great increase in the use of petrol has taken place mainly outside the productive field," said Mr Mulholland. “The first restriction should therefore fall on the man who runs a car purely for pleasure. “Now, Government policy is definitely that production must be kept going," he said. “It is also part of this policy that the restrictions are nut to be used lor implementing any .transport policy, other than to bring about petrol economies. But apparently some controllers and some committees have actually not been carrying out the Government’s policy, and have been using their own discretion to a considerable extent. 1 “Things that have been going on seem like an attempt to force everything into the hands of the transport operator,” said Mr Mulholland. The operator could not always run as economically as the farmer with his truck. He did not think the Governmenl’s policy was to prevent the farmer from using his truck economically. If an improvement was desired specific instances should be quoted. The only way was to ask branches to take up cases where a ruling by (he committee appeared to conflict "dlVi the known policy, of (lie Government.