PETROL SELLING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 143, 2 June 1936, Page 6

PETROL SELLING

Government to Limit Number of License* PROPOSED LEGISLATION in connection with the reikuf ffiprcsentations made by the Mayor, Mr. G. A. Aladdison, concerning the Government proposals to introduce legislation providing tor the licensing of wholesale and retail sellers of motor spirits with the general intention of limiting the number of selling outlets on a basis that is considered economic, His Worship has received the following letter from Mr R. Girling Butcher, Chief Inspector of Explosives:— “I have received a direction from the Hon. Minister of Industries and Commerce to inform all applicants for new licenses of the position existing, and shall therefore be glad if you will arrange to pass on the following information to any applicants for licenses for new petrol pumps in your licensing area:— “(1) That legislation providing for the licensing of all wholesale and retail sellers of motor spirits is contemplated and that such legislation is to be made retrospective to a date yet to be decided on. “(2) That notwithstandir the fact that such persons may ha' j obtained a license under t,he Exn' jve and Dangerous Goods Amendment Act, 1920, it may not be possible for them to obtain a license under the proposed new legislation if there is no economic necessity for the new selling unit, and the existing license may be withdrawn or amended. “Although the date is not decided upon.” concludes the letter, “it is suggested that in the meantime that notification might be given to all persons who have installed new pumps since the commencement of the present licensing year—April 1, 1986.” Recently Mr. Maddison drew attention to the fact that at the present time the Borough Council issued the licenses and retained a portion of the fees in return for the labour and time entailed in the inspection of the areas coming under the jurisdiction of the regulations relating to “dangerous goods,” and he sought to obtain from the Alinister a statement as to the policy that tho Government intended to adopt in connection with the licensing fees, which form, at present, a part of the borough’s revenue. Last, year, Mr. Maddison said, the council received from “dangerous goods” licenses fees to the value of £213, of which the Government received £4O 15/-, and the balance went to the council.