PETROL UP AGAIN

Evening Star, Issue 23508, 23 February 1940, Page 6

PETROL UP AGAIN

RISE &F ANOTHER HALFPENNY PART OF A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE? Advice has been received from Wellington to the effect that petrol in the Dominion has increased another halfpenny a gallon as from this morning. This now makes the local prices 2s s|d for ordinary grade and 2s 6Jd! for super grade. The reason is said to be the rising cost of the recent overseas shipments, not only in the f.o.b. price of motor spirit, but also in the freight costs and rates of war risk insurance. Full details of the companies’ increased costs have been submitted to the Department of Industries and Commerce, which approved of the increase. Locally, the increase is being accepted with resignation. “ The Price Tribunal has decided that the increase is justified,” said one of the biggest users of motor vehicles in the city this morning, “ andl that is the end of it. We are up against something wo cannot control. Wages and other costs can be controlled, but in regard to the price of petrol we can do nothing. All I can say is that it is just another burden on the transport industry, for we cannot pass on the increase. Every ono of the last three halfpenny increases has been borne by the industry.” Generally, little comment is being made, and even the _ taxi proprietors have no statements in the meantime. However, a meeting of the Metropolitan Licensing Authority is being held! on Monday, and the effects of the in-' crease will be considered then, when' a new price tariff is to be debated. Humour has it, and tin's rumour is perhaps less of a lying jade than usual, that the increase is only part of a fairly substantial one which has been authorised. At the beginning of the year it is understood the petrol companies justified to the Price Tribunal the imposition of a fairly pronounced increase, of which, so far, only .two _ halfpenny rises have been made. It is believed that the reason for this “ instalment ” increase is to soften the blow to some extent. • The ‘ Star ’ learnt this morning that the increases in petrol prices are considered fully justified with the country at war, and that they are being introduced to some extent as a measure forcing economy on the part of the private user, and, of course, to as great an extent as possible, the commercial user. It is also rumoured, again one believes not idly, that before long New Zealand will fall into line with England and that only one grade of petrol will be available to users, the super-grade disappearing from the market.