SERIOUS SITUATION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20620, 22 November 1941, Page 4

SERIOUS SITUATION

PETROL FOR FARMERS ANNUAL ALLOTMENTS “The petrol situation at present is more serious than it has been at any time previously and unless farmers keep strictly, within their petrol allocations it will be necessary to place all licenses on a monthly basis,” stated a letter from the Oil Fuel Controller to the Farmers’ Union, a copy of which was read at yesterday afternoon’s meeting of the Poverty Bay executive of the union. It had been reported, the letter stated, that some farmers on a yearly basis were not regulating their usage of petrol to keep within their allotments, with the result that the purpose of the * rationing was being defeated, and the controller asked that farmers be informed of the consequences if they failed to comply with their allotments. “We want to stick to the annual allowance, if we can,” said Mr. W. E. Honey, who added that it was to the farmers' advantage to secure the petrol whenever they .wished up to a specified total for a year. The president, Mr. J. E. Benson, said that he was told every day of abuses in the use of petrol, but nobody would come forward to give specific instances. Mr. G. S. Bridge said that the Farmers’ Union could not be expected to act as a sort of Gestapo. In concluding a brief discussion, the president said that it was up to farmers to be economical in the use of petrol.