PETROL CONSUMPTION

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23812, 4 December 1942, Page 6

PETROL CONSUMPTION

Sir, —Could you let the private car owners of Mid-Canterbury know how it is that with the acute shortage of petrol and tyres the persons connected with the freezing industry have been allowed to get away with the use of petrol as they have. All through the slack seasqn they have been using the cars daily to drive from home to their club or other places of pleasure, or drive around town, while the wives do the shopping. From the Rakaia to the Rangitata 28 cars are used to do this work. A few years ago, when it was done by horse and gig, we could have bought, driven and drafted more than 100,000, and to give the horse a spell, rode a bicycle. Now the season is about to start again, we think it quite time something was done as we can still leave our cars in the garage while they drive around enjoying themselves through the holidays.— Yours, etc., ■ • PRIVATE CAR OWNER. November 21, 1942.

, [Commenting on this letter, the District Oil Fuel Controller (Mr V. C. Lawn) says: “It is not clear what particular persons connected with the freezing industry are covered by the correspondent. The reference to 28 cars being in use between Rakaia and the Rangitata is not understood, as there would not appear to be that number of stock buyers operating in that district. The figures may possibly include stock agents working on behalf of stock and station firms, but it is doubtful whether such agents could be strictly defined as connected with the freezing industry. However, if the complainant could furnish definite instances of the alleged misuse of oil fuel licences in respect of any particular licence-holder, inquiries would be instituted at once.”]