PETROL-RATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 133, 2 December 1943, Page 6

PETROL-RATION

INCREASE SOUGHT

I IMPROVED POSITION The North Island Motor -Union, at a meeting in- Wellington today, unanimously decided to ask' the Government to make two full petrol coupons available per month from February 1 next. It was considered that the improvement in the petrol position justified asking for the increased ration. .: . , The president of the union (Mr. A. Grayson) said that so faf: as it went the increased petrol ration for December and January was satisfactory, but the question was whether they should not go much further than to ask for a continuance of the full coupon value from February 1 onwards. / ' "The petrol position is very favourable," Mr. Grayson;continued.. "I am infermed that stocks are ample.-There is no difficulty in obtaining supplies for New Zealand, and, further . than that, the authorities . themselves are releasing petrol to many people who have Jaeen sorely tried over the restrictions," and are reopening a -number of the road services that have been discontinued. No one in New Zealand has been harder put to it than the motorists over the past few years. We have taken it as a war, measure and, in the great majority of cases, ih a good spirit, but the time has arrived when I do feel this union should ask for, say, a ration- of not less than two full coupons a month • from February onwards. The South Island would be with us all the way." Mr. T. M. N. Rodgers (Manawatu) moved along the lines of Mr. Grayson's suggestion, and expressed the opinion that the two presidents would not.favour an increased ration if they were not convinced that it- v could be given without hindering the war effort in any way. -...•..-■ •. Mr. R. W. Roydhouse (Wairarapa) said that since the last meeting of the union, there had been an election, for which every candidate had been given 200 gallons of petrol and in some cases up to 500 gallons. A huge quantity of petrol had also been made available in- connection with the Maori V.C. hui on the east coast. "If is up to the unions to take, a very strorig stand and insist on better treatment than we have had for the past .few years," he declared. Mr. E. Palliser (Wellington) said he thought the question should be considered not from the .point of view of extravagance by those hr\ authority, but from the angle of whether the petrol stocks position was right and could be maintained, v They knew; that the defence position in New Zealand had eased considerably, but had the world situation improved to the extent that the shipping facilities could be provided to give New Zealand the increased petrol ration asked for? • The acting secretary (Mr. W. O'Callaghan): I don't think there is any question at all that there are any amount of tankers available. In Australia, said" Mr. G. W. ■■■ Hutchinson (Auckland), the ration for private cars had been four gallons a month throughout. It seemed to him that New Zealand motorists had been unduly rationed in comparison and it was time that they were given better treatment. So far as tyres, were concerned, it was far better that they should wear out than be allowed to rot unused. ' Thel motion was carried without further discussion. .. .. ; USE OF CHAR. Mr. P'Callaghan said that the Commissioner of Transport had advised that it was not possible to arrange for the issue of coupons for char, but had agreed to the issue of special licences, where necessary. The opinion was expressed that in the very near, future a move should be made to have the regulations concerning the use of char abolished. . Mr. W. A. Sutherland (Wellington) said he wondered whether the regulations were not abolishing themselves. Everywhere people had heaps of char.Mr. O'Callaghan said that;in the view of the Commissioner of-Trans-port it was absolutely necessary to' continue the rationing of char to keep the. stock: position .under control.