THE PETROL POSITION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 226, 23 August 1945, Page 5

THE PETROL POSITION

MAY BECOME LITTLE TIGHTER. (Press Assn A WELLINGTON, Aug. 22 The Minister of Supply (Mr Sullivan) told the House of Representatives, today, that, because of a heavy European demand resulting from dislocated railways, the petrol position might become a little tighter in the immediate future. A warning to that effect had come within the last 24 hours. Mr Sullivan was amplifying his reply to a question regarding the cancellation of petrol licenses under five gallons. The Minister said he did not expect that New Zealand would be asked to revert to the original allocation.

Mr J. D. Acland (Nat-., Ternuka), who with Mr W. S. Goosmau '(Nat.. Waikato) had asked the question, said that the licenses had been granted for a definite purpose and it seemed unfair that they should not have the advantage of the increase in value of the coupons.

Mr Sullivan said the cancellation ot the small licenses was a condition imposed by the authorities allocating the petrol to the United Nations, and was not the action of the New Zealand Government. The question had been taken up with those authorities more intensively since peace had been made with Japan. He could not give an assurance that the licenses would bo restored, but he was entirely sympathetic. The position of tyres was also affected by the heavy European demand and it had been stated that there was unlikely to be a substantial improvement in the rubber position for a year or 18 months, but within the last 24 hours a statement had been made in America that there was a possibility of a substantial improvement this year.