PETROL OVERDRAWN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22624, 29 April 1948, Page 4

PETROL OVERDRAWN

INFORMATION DISMISSED A breach of the oil fuel emergency regulations, in that they disposed of 172 gallons of fuel more than were allowed during February, was charged against Musgraves Services, Limited, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The breach seemed only a technical one and the reason for it such that he felt justified in dismissing the information, said the magistrate, Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M. Evidence was given by the Transport Department's inspector, Mr. R. Metcalfe, that from October last year permits were given to petrol resellers for the amount of fuel they were allowed to dispose of each month. On checking it was found that the fi.m had disposed of 172 gallons more during February than the permit for that month allowed. Most of this petrol had gone to Wards Transport and a little to members of the staff. It was not suggested that Wards Transport ran any additional trips on the East Coast during February with this petrol. In entering a pica of not guilty on behalf of the firm, Mr. D. E. Chrisp said that towards the end of February Wards Transport found themselves short of petrol and they either had to stop their trucks carrying essential goods on the East Coast or overdraw their petrol. It was admitted that 172 gallons had been overdrawn. The company had now been allotted enough petrol to carry them through each month. I-Ie submitted that the offence was a technical one caused by the company’s desire that Wards Transport should carry out their full job on the Coast.