Farmers to have oil priority

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33453, 7 February 1974, Page 1

Farmers to have oil priority

iX.X. Press Association) < WELLINGTON, Feb. 6. i The supply of oil for agricultural and industrial production was! of the highest priority, the Minister of Energy Resources (Mr Freer) said today. The Minister was confirming reports that fanners would be given priority in the allocation of fuel supplies’.

The supply of diesel and i Ifuel oil is restricted to the I level for 19731 • but essential users, including i .| transport operations, can ap-' J ply for extra allocations. While the Government was •(unable to ensure supplies labove allocations indefinitely, ;it would see that petroleum (products were made available Ito farmers and industry “to J the extent that reduced oil! ;'supplies permit,” said Mr , | Freer. In the meantime the reIstriction to 1973 levels of I

I usage Would remain but the i (procedure to obtain addi-; Itional supplies had been 'streamlined to assist farm-' !ers. i At present notifications, from diesel and fuel oil users are being received by the De-1 partment of Trade and Indus-! try in the four main centres I arid by the Ministry of En-! ergy Resources in Welling-1 'ton. After discussions with representatives of farmers’ organisations and carriers servicing farmers 12 regional

advisory officers of the Mm jistry of Agriculture and Fish Jeries would receive applies itions for diesel fuel in excess of allocations, said Mr Freer. I The offices are in Whanga rei, Auckland, Hamilton, Nap lier. New Plymouth, Palmei • iston North, Nelson, Christ Ichurch, Greymouth, Timaru. • Dunedin and Invercargill. ' The offices of the Depart tment of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Energv Resources would continue to receive applications, the Minister said