TYRE SITUATION

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 118, 15 November 1945, Page 8

TYRE SITUATION

LOW RESERVE STOCKS

THE POSITION EXPLAINED

The Minister of Supply (Mr. Sullivan) informed the council of the North Island Motor Union yesterday that it had been necessary, owing to shipping difficulties, 'for his Department to retain as far as possible a three months' reserve stock of tyres. That reserve represented usage under the rationing plan only, and was not based en normal demands.

Mr. Sullivan pointed out, however, that, as the normal usage of tyres in the Dominion approximated 450,000 annually, it coulu be readily appreciated how small a margin was held in reserve. If such stocks were released they would be depleted very rapidly. In addition, the shipping situation was so difficult that it was considered necessary to retain that small stock reserve.

The council resolved to again approach the Minister and >ask what was being done to release tyres. The acting secretary (Mr. W. A. O'Callaghan) said he had been informed from a reliable source that perhaps 85.000 tyres would be released before Christmas. The Minister, in his letter, gave details of the stocks held. All Armed Forces tyres, he said, with the exception of a small quantity in the possession of the Air Force for emergency replacements, were held by the Army Department. On August 31 the Army stocks were:—New tyres: motor-cycle, 7640; car, 2232; truck, 18.498; tractor and similar vehicles, 375. Reconditioned tyres: Motorcycle, 227; car, 390; truck, 234; tractors, etc., 6. Of the stocks of new tyres the Army considered that the following should be held as an essential reserve for possible demands from the Fiji defence forces:—Cycle, 1386; car, 2076; truck, 13,197. Of the total stock of truck tyres, 5803 new and 10 reconditioned were of sizes peculiar to military vehicles only. In the past two years about 30 000 tyres, mainly truck tyres, had been released by the Army Department, about 20,000 of them having been made available under permit through the Ministry of Supply to essential users. The balance was supplied to the United States forces. Negotiations were at present being undertaken by his Department, said Mr. Sullivan, with the Army Department for the release of reconditioned and used tyres. It was anticipated that the latter would be made available to the trade in the immediate future. Within that category were:— Motor-cycle, 475; car, 300; truck, 3085. The Minister pointed out that they would be made available under the present permit system. Stocks of tyres held by private traders on July 31 were:—Car 19,390 and truck 10,297, and as approximately 6000 car tyres and 3000 truck tyres were disposed of monthly to essential users it would be seen that stocks were relatively low. " ,