Bill Prevents Extension Of One-Brand Petrol Stations

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28699, 24 September 1958, Page 14

Bill Prevents Extension Of One-Brand Petrol Stations

(Naw Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, September 23. Government policy was to counter the extension of onebrand petrol stations, said the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Holloway) in the House of Representatives today during the second reading of the Motor Spirits Distribution Amendment Bill. The main purpose of the bill is to prevent wholesalers from acquiring interests in retail busi-

nesses so as to affect the conduct of those businesses.

Mr Holloway said the oil companies, while in principle favouring one-brand stations, had accepted the Government’s attitude and had agreed to co-operate in applying the provisions of the bill.

The independent resellers, the twc motor unions and the Motor Spirits Distribution Licensing Authority, representing the consumers, had also been fully consulted.

Mr Holloway said it was preferable that the tendency to onebrand stations should not continue. There were large areas where for 30 or 40 miles only one or two brands of petrol could be bought. As the industry was licensed, this meant oil companies could have a monopoly in a particular area.

The amendr ent prevents an oil company from acquiring an interest in any property owned by a retailer although existing interests are not affected.

Another section makes it an offence to offer a reward to induce a retailer to purchase a particular product. This amendment, said Mr Holloway, had been

suggested by the oil companies themselves. :

Mr J. T. Watts (Opposition, Fendalton) said the Opposition had no criticism of the bill. The original act had attempted to get as much competition as possible into an industry that was subject to control. The two were to a certain extent contradictory. The act had worked with a reasonable measure of success, but his own hopes for it had not been fulfilled.

Speaking of legislative controls in general, Mr Watts suggested that the time had come when there should be a review of the position in several industries, including the petrol reselling industry. He felt that too many controls had been written into legislation—that affecting chemists being an example. The over-all position could well be reviewed by the Government. The bill was read a second time.

Body Blow.— “ The most difficult neople to interview are politicians They are far too good at talking This is why, in front of a television camera, the interviewer really is a public benefactor. There may be no limit to what a politician thinks he has to say, butthere is a limit to the amount of hot air his lungs can hold. And so it’s his breathing habits which have to be studied. You watch the moment his chest expands, watch it deflate and then pounce with the next question as he pauses to take in more air.*’— £ eO the ey B < B q l5Oll Smith speaking