PETROL SUPPLIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 77, 27 September 1941, Page 11

PETROL SUPPLIES

MOTOR UNION CRITICISM

MORE GENEROSITY URGED

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 26,

Inconsistencies in the handling of soldiers' applications for petrol licences when on final leave were alleged by Otago representatives at the annual meeting of the South Island Motor Union. Members urged that soldiers on final leave should be treated more liberally.

Soldiers due to go overseas and applying for licences for petrol in Otago were refused them unless they could give a special reason, said Mr. P. W, Breen. In England, he was told, any soldier had only to produce his leave pass to get petrol for 300 miles at any time. The least that could be done for men going overseas was to provide them with ten gallons to run round with, no matter what the circumstances were. If the Government removed anomalies and inconsistencies it would have less criticism..

"The Minister says soldiers are treated the same all over New Zealand," Mr. Breen added. "We have evidence that that is not so."

Official instructions have been sent to oil fuel controllers in each centre for dealing with the issue of petrol to soldiers on leave, said Mr. P. F. Harre (Otago). These said petrol could be allowed only if there was proof of urgency, if details of the journey were given, and if there were no other means of transport.

ISSUE OF LICENCES.

"On August 18 in Christchurch a licence for ten gallons was issued to a soldier on final leave. No car was named on the licence and no purpose for its use was stated. It was used with two or three cars twice in Christchurch and once in Dunedin. When the case was put to the controller he replied that licences must be issued in accordance with the regulations," Mr. W. R. Carey said. He was a member of the local oil fuel advisory committee but lack of information about what Was done in other centres placed the committee at a disadvantage. An application to Wellington brought no satisfaction.

"It seems that the rule is 'do what you can when you can,'" he added. Members are there to carry out instructions but can get no guidance as to the principles on which other committees are acting in the same circumstances.

Mr. Ferens said that in Dunedin licences for petrol for the troops were issued not by the committee but by officials of the Department.

Mr. G. Laurence (North Island Motor Union) said that it was only when applicants had sufficient knowledge to insist on their application going before committees that committees ever saw them.

It. was decided, on the motion of Mr. Ferens, to suggest to the Minister of Supply that steps be taken to coordinate the policy of all oil fuel advisory committees. <