HARVESTING DELAYED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25380, 31 December 1947, Page 4

HARVESTING DELAYED

INADEQUATE SUPPLIES OF PETROL COUNTRY RETAILERS’ QUOTAS USED Valuable time is being lost by fanners in North Canterbury whose crons are ready for heading because retro! supplies in many areas have been exhausted. Many petrol retailers in country districts assumed that if they over, drew their allocation to supply farm, ers they could draw more on applica. tion to the Transport Department; but they have found that the application! have been refused, and have been unable to supply even private motorist* Heading operations nave commenced much earlier than usual in North Canterbury this year, and there has been a consequently higher demand f or petrol. Many farmers in the area will be unable to commence heading operations until after ihe New Year. A farmer in North Canterbury said yesterday that the fine weather would not last for ever and many crops were now ready for harvesting. Fawnm, however, could not get on with the work without petrol. The retailers cannot be blamed for many of them have just not got the petrol, he said. “They acted on an assurance by the Minister of Supply (Mr A. H. Nordmeyer) that adequate supplies would be made available, sold us their petrol which has now been used, early in the month, and their supplies are exhausted Petrol will again be available for a few hours on New Year’s Day, but retailers will not be able to give us what we want if they are to conserve supplies for other customers for the rest of January.’’ he said. Service station owners in country districts said yesterday that they were having to refuse motorists who were obviously in difficulties. People who had come long distances arrived with only dregs in their tanks and petrol had to be refused. Many of them had set out in the forlorn hope that they would be able to refuel at country garages. “We have our own difficult ties in supplying farmers and our own customers and these motorists should realise that they haven't got a chance." said one proprietor. A daily allowance on the amount of petrol be could still sell within his quota had been arranged for the last days of the month, and this had all been used in providing farmers with small amounts, and regular customers, who were also receiving less than their normal requirements. How other motorists hoped to get enough to take them on long journeys he could not imagine.