PETROL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 121, 7 May 1912, Page 2

PETROL.

SOME AVHEELS OF INDUSTRY HUNG UP.

[l*EB PRESS ASSOCI iTION.J

Christchurch, May 6.

The position of the petrol market las not changed to ar.y extent, except that the effects of the first scare lave worked off.' Motorists are not >lfering to buy petrol at any price, md apparently those who run .short ire getting supplies at 2/6 per gal_on. Speculative holders of small Lots of case are asking for big prices, mt so far nothing is doing on their erms.

Auckland. May 6.

■■ Further enquiries made with regard to the shortage of benzine indi•at.e that options as to the position ire diverse.' The proprietors of one of two large motor garages stated .hat the position was by uo means acute and that they w-ere not alarmd as to being able to procure sufficient supplies until the next shipment arrives. On the other hand the wholesale merchants xnd large retailers definitely stated that the Vacuum Oil Coih•>any has been totally unable to supply benzine, and that they in turn ire compelled to refuse customers >ho order it. One large distributor informed a “Herald” reporter that ap to last week about a tenth of his order had been filled, but now not a single case was procurable. The immediate consequences in some cases ;vere extremely serious, as the river launches which collect and convey che daily supplies of milk to the factories in the country were useless, and consequently milk was being vaster. The ordinary price of bensine is 11/6 per case, but owing to bhe scarcity it would be possible, a merchant stated, to sell hundreds of cases at the present time at anything from 20/- to 30/- per case. It is understood that those who have still a few cases left in stock are asking about £1 per case. Dunedin, Alay 6.

Inquiries made at the local garages to-day elicited the fact that 'she proprietors have stopped the sale of petrol to anyone except their customers, and,then only in reduced quantities. Keen inquiry’ is being received from Christchurch for benzine ind petrol, and one firm received an s>rder for the former at an advance of 4id. per gallon on the ordinary orice, but it could not be supplied. The possibility of importing supplies from Australia is being considered. The Melbourne branch of the Imperial Oil Company is understood to have only a limited quantity beyond ordinary requirements. THE LOCAL FAMINE. There is no change locally’ in connection with the petrol famine, except that the supply has considerably decreased during the past few days. The Hastings merchants have exhausted their stocks, and the motor garages, whilst only filling orders for >ery small quantities are asking 12/jer" tin. The steamer Hohenfels *,vhich is due at Auckland about the end of the present month, has 5000 cases of petrol aboard, but in all probability this will be snapped up it the northern port. The AngloSaxon is due in Auckland on July Ith with 18,000 cases, but it is feared .hat all local supplies will be used ,p long before that date. Some of he garages are retaining what they iokl for their own use, and from hem petrol cannot be had for love tor money.