PETROL FOR AUSTRALIA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 192, 16 July 1941, Page 7

PETROL FOR AUSTRALIA.

PERSONAL IMPORTATIONS. SYDNEY, July 15.

The severity of petrol rationing in this country, coupled with the growing agitation by users for some measure or relief, resulted in the Prime Minister to-night announcing that the Government had completely reviewed the principles relating to the importation, storage, and distribution of petrol and had adopted a new plan, the main features of which were: Persons and firms would be licensed to import, and: store petrol and would thus be placed in the same position an uisiriyUTors already licensed; quotas for imports would lx' allotted'among companies to j provide for the maintenance of stocks required for Governmental and civilian purposes; in the event of any. company failing to import its quota the Minister of Supply would have the right to divide the deficiency among other companies and also permit companies to import in excess of their quotas so long as the stocks in hand were less than the amount stipulated by the Government; should the Minister be not satisfied that the company was importing at a reasonable cost he was empowered to cancel trie company's license and allot its quota among other companies; importing companies would be required to make a monthly return of the quantities imported and also the landed costs.