PETROL SUPPLY

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24882, 23 May 1946, Page 4

PETROL SUPPLY

MINISTER DISCUSSES NEW SYSTEM REPLY CRITICISM (P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 22. “I feel that the whole motoring public of New Zealand will welcome the change, and will give the new system a fair and reasonable trial, especially as there will be an additional 800,000 gallons a month available to meet their . needs,” said the Minister of Supply and • Munitions (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), when replying to-night to criticism of : the change to overall petrol rationing, 1 to come into force on June 1. He 1 added that it was the opinion of the ' Government, also of the oil companies, that having regard to the fact that we 1 were in tne middle of the winter Seriod, and that in fact many motorists 1 ad not redeemed some of their < coupons or the full value of their ; licences in recent months, the supplies . which were now available should be adequate to meet all reasonable de- . mands on the basis of the overall • rationing he announced on Tuesday. Mr Sullivan deprecated the tenor of leading articles which had appeared in , Auckland and Wellington metropolitan ! morning papers to-day concerning the ( change in the petrol rationing system. He criticised in particular the published remarks attributed to Mr E. A. Batt, chairman of the Wellington Automobile Association, which, the Minister said, had been printed throughout the Dominion, and which he contended were calculated to render a disservice to the motoring public for whom Mr Batt claimed to speak. “Motor unions have been passing resolutions making strong representations to me ever since V-E Day for the abolition of petrol rationing,” said the Minister. “I have made it clear from time to time that this would not be possible until supplies were more readily available. J have explained latterly that the dollar position has affected both supplies and tankerage, and precluded sufficient supplies reaching the Dominion to enable the abolition of petrol rationing. Particularly strong have been the representations of motor unions that the coupon and licensing systems be abolished. Much as I have desired to see the end of petrol rationing, it has been my unpleasant duty to maintain the rationing system in view of the supply position. Monthly Limit “The point, however, is now reached where, with a further increase in our supplies, the Government, after consideration and consultation with the United Kingdom authorities, has decided to relieve the motoring public and all those associated with petrol rationing of coupons and licence rationing, for the repeal of which continuous and vigorous representations have been made by official representatives of motorists. . . “Mr Batt, revealing his opinion of his fellow motorists, hurries into print and talks of greedy consumers making a strong rush on available supplies, and conjures up a nightmare of a very large section of consumers having to go without supplies. This is the type of talk which is most likely to create the very thing which Mr Batt professes to be alarmed about.” The Minister said it was true that our supplies were still limited, but the limit was at a figure which should suffice to ensure that the normal winter demand would be within it. The monthly limit which had now been set was something more than the average monthly consumption during the winter and spring months of pre-war 1939. The number of licensed motor vehicles was approximately 3000 less at present than in the middle of 1939. “Having regard to the tyre situation, and to the not inconsiderable stocks of petrol hoarded throughout the Dominion, only such fears and consequent panic buying as could be engendered by irresponsible statements like Mr Batt’s and the leading articles of this morning’s 'New Zealand Herald’ and “Dominion’ could negative the action now decided upon by the Government,” said Mr Sullivan. “Motorists have loudly clamoured for the abolition of coupon and licence rationing ever since the end of the war. If they play the game by their fellow motorists, as I have assumed, they should find they have the petrol they require for all reasonable running during the next month and such further months as the overall rationing system may be necessary. Empire Rations “The question of the black market has been raised and headlined. If anything tends to create a black market and trafficking in supplies available , under licence it is the system of rationing which we have perforce had to operate during the last six and a half years. In its usual biased way the , ‘Dominion’ infers that the New Zealand motorist has been the most harsh--1 ly treated in the British Empire, stating that the increase now available will go some way towards giving the New Zealand motorist a ration more in | keeping with that enjoyed by other , British countries during and immedi- > ately after the war. This is blatantly . misleading and untrue. From July, 1942, to V-E,Day in 1945, the British private motorist was allowed no petrol i whatever.

“After having the distasteful job of rationing petrol for more than six years. I have done my utmost to obtain sufficient supplies of petrol to enable us to get back to the pre-war system, and in spite of the foreboding of the ‘Dominion.’ the ‘New Zealand Herald/ and Mr Batt. I feel the whole motoring public of New Zealand will welcome the change, and will give the new system a fair and reasonable trial, especially as there will be an additional 800,000 gallons monthly available to meet their needs. I am not infallible, and I am as prone to make mistakes as any other human being, but to me it does not seem to make sense to suggest that all the paraphernalia of individual rationing is necessary with such supplies as are now available.”