No Public Inquiry Into Oil Companies’ Activities

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30158, 15 June 1963, Page 10

No Public Inquiry Into Oil Companies’ Activities

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 14.

No constructive purpose could be served by holding a public inquiry into the allegations of attempts to secure the control of retail petrol outlets, said the chairman of the Motor Spirits Licensing Authority, (Mr R. W. Edgley) today. He said the authority had come to this conclusion after carefully considering all the relevant factors, including the hearing of two test cases at a public sitting, and the results of investigations by the Department of Industries and-Commerce and the obtaining of adequate assurances from all wholesalers.

The authority when it met today decided that no further investigation would be made, unless individual applications for the transfer of licences gave cause for the matter to be raised again. Mr Edgley said that when he announced on April 10 that a public inquiry would be held, efforts had failed to obtain unqualified written assurances from all the wholesalers that they would cease attempts to secure the control of retail outlets pending the passing of the necessary legislation. But such assurances had since been received.

Last month the authority heard two applications involving transactions of the type to which objection had been made. Although both applications were opposed, the objectors called no evidence to suggest that the acquisition. of the service stations concerned was illegal and this w r as the authority’s finding, said Mr Edgley. “AU the information available to the authority indicates that other cases follow’ the same pattern.” he said.

"It is understood that the type of transaction involved will be investigated further in Supreme Court actions now pending.”