PETROL RESTRICTIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 September 1940, Page 6

PETROL RESTRICTIONS

MOTOR TRADERS’ CRITICISM [per press association.] WELLINGTON, September 17. The Government was criticised for the restrictions placed on the motor trade, at the annual conference of trade representatives to-day, on the. grounds that the restrictions were not entirely for war purposes, and that the trade was being asked to do more for sterling conservation than other sections of the community. The Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), opening the conference, referred to the control under the War Regulations, as it affected the City Electricity Department. He said that the Petrol Controller wanted wage increases to be submitted to him for approval. He had a pretty good idea that the Council would not do that. The President of the Federation (Mr. C. R. Edmond) said that the trade was suffering from three main factors, for which the Government was responsible. There was a lack of frankness and lack of sincerity, and the co-operation available from the trade had not been used. The Government had done nothing, and, so far as he knew, was doing nothing to keep up the fuel stocks. If it had done sO', additional restrictions could have been avoided. It was not until the beginning of July that the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash) said that restrictions were required to conserve petrol. The motor trade had made a great contribution to the war effort, and was entitled to ask for some assurance regarding the future. Mr. L. N. Montgomery (Nelson) was elected president.