THE PETROL TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1431, 4 May 1912, Page 5

THE PETROL TROUBLE.

ONDER-CALCI'LATION. BY CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY, SMOKE, BUT' LITTLB IiTRB, (fly Tele-Erapfc.—Press Aißeolatlen.) Christchurch, Hay 3, The Dominion price of petrol has jumped, end now not a drop ia to ho obtained from tko principal distributing agency— tho Vacuum Oil Company. Oarages in the city, and some of tho oil business firms, have supplies for a few weeks, but it is anticipated that the next fortnight will witness a material reduction of the city's motor traffic. There aro reports of "fabulous prices" being offered for petrol —even up to .£3 a ease. These, Liiivovcr, cannot bo authenticated, though there i s no doubt that as much as 355. has been paid for ono easo containing eight gallons. What tho Firms are Doing. One firm in tho city :s retailing petrol in two-gallon quantities at Bs. ijtt. per gallon, or nt the rato of XI a case. It will not part with more than two gtllosis to any one customer. The idea is to distribute tho stock as widely as possible, so that petrol will only bo purchased by peoplo as they require it. Quito a number of iirms, particularly those engaged in tho drapery and gircery business, have discarded horse dclivcry-van.-i in favour of a motor delivery. Home of them aro in the fortunate'position of having stocks of petrol' sufficient for the requirements of n few weeks. Others have been left in the lurch, and are waiting to seo what the famine will bring forth. These iiope that tho wholesale lirms, with which they have been dealing, will seo them through, ami a reporter learned that ono firm at kast intended to help its commercial clientele in this direction. Immediate Effect an Motors. It seems that there will be no immediateeffects of the shortage. Private motorcars will probably cease running to somo extent at an early date, but it is ridiculous to suggest that, within a week or so, there will be no motor vehicles running in Christchurch. One firm has at least sis weeks' supplies for its machines. The firms engaged in motor and rubber business are rather pessimistic as to tho effect which the shortage of petrol will have on their operations.

It seems to be certain that a Serge number of motor vehicles will be withdrawn from commission, and, consequently there will 1)0 a decline in the demand for tyres and accessories, and a considerable falling oft" in repairs. • The tyre turnover by some of the motor firms is enormous, anil ordinary rubber pods business is not likely to be affected, but most of ,the firms deal also in motor and motor-cycle tyres. The immediate withdrawal of taxi-cabs from street hire is not contemplated, but there-will be a reduction in the night services.

Some of the garage proprietors are giving their drivers their annual holidays at once, so that the men will loso "as little as possible by their enforced idleness. The garage proprietors fear a. fairly heavy loss if the famine continues for any length of time. It seems that every ordinary substitute for petrol has been bought up. There are sonic cars which will run on kerosene, but a special engine is required for its efficient use. Soma motorists may try it in ordinary engines, starting with a small amount of petrol. In these cases, however, the kerosene may not act efficiently, and it has the added fault of being very dirty. There are "all sort of rumours about various substitutes being tried, and an old story about a motor party coming in from Little Hiver by feeding a bottle of whisky into "their machine is being revived. Fire Service Unaffected. Superintendent Erek slates that the Chrisfchurcii Fire Brigade has amplo supply for its motors, sufficient to last for three months. It was the custom to keep two months'supplies, and, when the shortage was rumoured, an extra lot was secured. Several people had called at the station to borrow petrol, but their applications could not be entertained.

What Steam Cargoes Coming? Inquiries mack at the local offico of the Vacuum Oil Company go to show that there is no prospect of thy famine being relieved in the near future, 'i'ho steamer Ilohenfols will arrive shortly, and will land petrol at Lyttclton and Sydney, but the quantity on board will not fully meet the uemand. According to present indications, it would be some time in July b«foro the large shipments in the steamers Anglo-Saxon and Dunclutba would bo available. Tho reasons for the present shortage were that the chartered vessels had been delayed, and tho demand for petrol had been extraordinary for this season of tho year. Instead of sales falling off after January, as they usually did, they had kept up, and as much was sent out in March as in January. The company had not taken advantage of tho situation to increase its prieea, but had parted with its whole stock at tho ordinary trade price. Buyers were not allowed to take nil they asked for, but tho available 'stock was parcelled up as reasonably as was possible. Tho shortage at present was unique in character, as it involved shortages in substitutes as well ns in ordinary motorspirit. On previous occasions the shortage in petrol had always been balanced by stocks of substitute fluids which could be used with efficiency.

Import It From Australia? . Tho possibility of getting supplies from Australia is being freely discussed, but, at present, thero is no relinblo information as to tho position in tho Commonwealth. There aro some very contradictory reports about the city, but the prevailing impression is that tho shortage is being felt over there. In any case it is not a simple matter to import largo quantities of highly inflammable stuff liko petrol or benzino from Australia. Tho ordinary passenger steamers would carry very little of it. Sorao timo ago some petrol was imported from Australia, and it had first to be sent from Sydney to Newcastle and unloaded there. It was afterwards put on a lighter, and loaded on to a coal ship for New Zealand. It got hero with tho cases and tins in a very dirty state, but, after all, the petrol was inside. Whether importation from Australia will prove tho solution of the difficulty remains to bo sesn.

"IT IS ALL VERY ABSURD." VACUUM UIL OJUrAX'S VilliW. Mr. Hamilton, manager of ilio Vacuum Oil Company, was interviewed by a Doiiinion reporter yesterday in respect to the reports which wore being received from the different centres in respect to an acute shortage of motor spirit. "It is all very absurd." sua Air. Hamilton. "There is, as a matter of fact, enough spirit in the coiony w keep nil the wheels going until Juno 15-then there would bo a slight shortage until the steamer arrives on Juno BO or July 1 with a cargo of spirit." In the meantime, has there boen a run t "Eun-I should think thoro bnd-it J were to attempt to supply all the orders on hand, I could dispose of the whole of uiv present stock and 3000 cases besid" People who ordinarily order 20-caso Sots are urgently requiring 40-easo lets, and the 5-caso man wants ten eases. Oi course. I am not fulfilling these orders. It would bo palpably unfair to aome to assist others to 'boost' tho prico. I am just fulfilling the steady orders, without noticing the demands for largely-increased lots. What I would like you to say is that vro haro not raised the price at all of nnv kind of motor spirit, and if nil we bear is truo people are paying quite unnecossnrilv luff" P ric "« for " lu ot!l * r places. V- wo had listened to tho 'hot air talked, and made ourselves party to it, we could easily hnvo mado from J!200fl to .C3OOO during the last week, but wo did not think it proper to impose any extra charge. Tiio prices to-day to tho public nro ns follow:—Gasoline, 2s. Cd. per gallon: bonaoline, Is. Slid, per gallon; motor' spirit, Is. 710. l>er gallon! and benzine, is. ft\d. per gallon. Wo don't sell enough gasoline to float a tin boat on—it is used lo create an illuminating gas for pictureshow machines, where there is no electric plant. Iknzoline is mostly uecd in the production of a.ir gas for light ftnd host Newly oil tho motor-driven vohiclca, para, Mw oyolcj uijQ either motor-aiirSt (petrol) m> banxiiuk'i