TYRE AND PETROL RATIONING

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24679, 24 September 1945, Page 6

TYRE AND PETROL RATIONING

CRITICISM OF MOTORISTS’ RESOLUTION STATEMENT BY MINISTER “It seems to me that the conference has been carried away by its understandable desire to have unlimited motoring without delay,” said the Minister of Supply (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) when commenting on resolutions passed by delegates to the South Island Motor Union’s annual conference. “It is difficult to imagine how a responsible organisation could pass such a resolution in the face of facts which I have publicly announced'on a number of occasions since the end of the war. “The motor union wants all restrictions on petrol and tyres abolished immediately and apparently is prepared to accept without concern the nonavailability of either commodity in sufficient quantities to maintain essential transport after a very short period of unrestricted purchasing,” continued Mr Sullivan. "I announced a few days ago that we were working on the low tyre stock reserves of three months’ supplies, and then only on the basis of the present essentiality list If all private motorists could have access to those stocks there would be no tyres left in a week and essential users such as doctors, local bodies, and others would find themselves without transport unless thdy were lucky enough in the scramble. “No responsible government could countenance such a chaotic state of affairs and, much as I desire to abolish the tyre restrictions at the earliest practicable moment, this cannot be done until we are assured of adequate supplies from abroad. At present we have no indication as to when tyre supplies will improve, but one thing is clear —raw rubber is still one of the items in critical supply and until it is again available in greater quantities there will continue to be difficulty about tyres. Our desire to get more tyres is evidenced by the presence in London now of a senior supply officer who has gone there solely on tyre supply business. To talk of a militant approach to the Government, as was done at the conference, will not produce one extra tyre, and I am disappointed that the executives of the motor union have allowed themselves to be parties to such sentiments.” . Mr Sullivan referred to a statement he had made last week indicating that the tanker and exchange position was still obscure and that it looked as though it would be some weeks yet before advice was received from abroad that the position had been clarified. “I notice the president of the union deprecates this statement of mine. All I can say is that it was based on' cabled information received from the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs in London as recently as last week-end. The Australian ration is to be increased this week, but even then the allowances there will still be generally slightly lower than ours, though I think equal for two classes of cars. “The Government must ensure that our essential transport is adequately maintained or else our economy and welf 'j&e services would break down and our rehabilitation programme would be impeded,” concluded the Minister. “Until we are receiving sufficient supplies to meet our total normal requirements it would be folly to abolish rationing, though as supplies improve it should be possible to make progressive relaxations as has been done withother commodities.”