FRANCE TO RESCUE OF AUSTRALIA WITH PETROL SUPPLIES

Grey River Argus, 5 November 1949, Page 5

FRANCE TO RESCUE OF AUSTRALIA WITH PETROL SUPPLIES

(Rec. 10.55). SYDNEY, Nov. 4. The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. J. B. Chifley, announced to-day, from Canberra, that the French Government has approved of the export of two cargoes of petrol to Australia, totalling nine million gallons, or thirty thousand tons. The Prime Minister' added: “The Australian Government has been advised that, at present France has only a small export trade in petrol, one going principally to her own colonies. The grant of French export licences for petrol is dependent on the circumstances obtaining at the time of the application. The French authorities are reported to have stated that any availabilities could not form the basis of a regular export trade”. FRANCE FINDING-A WAY The Sydney Sun’s Canberra correspondent says: The production of crude oil is a monopoly of the United States and Britain. Nevertheless, into this hitherto tight preserve, France appears to be trying Io muscle. France wants to earn dollars. France also has. sterling difficulties, and she is not above earning sterling to finance such of her purchases as wool from Australia.