Accuse Oil Companies Of High Handed Action

Northern Advocate, 12 April 1940, Page 3

Accuse Oil Companies Of High Handed Action

A request that the Dairy Board take steps to combat what was described as the high-handed action of the oil companies in demanding weekly payments for benzine supplied to dairy companies was made by the Northern Ward conference at Whangarci yesterday. Speakers were unanimous in favouring- a return to the system of payments on the 20th of each month. Mr Rees, Waipu secretary, said that as dairy companies did not recover benzine payments from their suppliers for six weeks, they were forced to fall back on the bank, and to them the concerted action recently taken by oil companies represented both inconvenience and loss.

He had been told that Waipu was the only' company to stand out against weekly payments. Mr Harrison (Hokianga): They told us the same thing. Similar objection had been raised by the Okoriore Dairy Company, said the board secretary, who said that the oil companies had asked that dairy factories be placed on the same short credit terms as ordinary resellers. Otherwise, the oil companies contended, resellers would say dairy companies were given an unfair advantage. They also had to pay taxation In advance, they claimed. Mr Murdoch undertook that the Dairy Board would vigilantly prosecute the matter.