PETROL RESTRICTIONS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23414, 22 August 1941, Page 10

PETROL RESTRICTIONS

Sir,—l would like to know why farm tractors are cut more rigorously than cars. The Government asks the farmers to increase production, and then takes away their means of doing so. The Oil Fuel Control works on the idea of allowing one gallon of petrol to 10 of kerosene, irrespective of the type of tractor used or the class of land being brought into production. Many farmers are cut back to less than one in 10, which is ridiculous and must seriously hamper their work. At the same time, commercial travellers, etc., are allowed more petrol a month than the farmer is allowed a year to work his tractor. Does the answer lie in the fact that the Government has to make a refund on petrol consumed in tractors, while there is no refund on car-consumed petrol?— Yours, etc., E, C. JOHNSTONE. Ashburton, August 14, 1941. [The Chief Postmaster (Mr V. C. Lawn) commented on this letter as follows:—“ The issue of only, one gallon of petrol to 10 gallons of power kerosene for use in tractors run on kerosene was not a Government, .but an Oil Fuel Advisory Committee decision. which was reached' after conferring with many leading farmers, and the agents for the manufacturers of the tractors. In all cases the class of work being undertaken by the farmer is taken into consideration, ane Farmers’ Union has a representative on each Oil Fuel Advisory Committee, who closely watches the interests of farmers.”]