Company Offers To Share Petrol

Northern Advocate, 28 October 1949, Page 5

Company Offers To Share Petrol

SYDNEY, Fri., 11.30 a.m.).— An offer by Ampol Petroleum Ltd., to share among other oil companies 80 per cent of tlie 2,500,000 gallons of petrol it hopes to buy from France, has caused exchanges between oil companies and in Canberra.

Mr W. G. Walkley, managing director of Ampol, sent a telegram to other companies, stating that Ampol was negotiating to import five additional cargoes of French petrol commencing early in the New Year, and was prepared to make available to other companies at cost. 80 per cent of this product.

“PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN” The Atlantic Union Oil Company replied describing the offer as part of a publicity campaign. In Canberra, the Minister of Defence (Mr J. J. Dedman) said that inquiries abroad had revealed that over half the crude oil refined in France came from the dollar area for which reason the French Government would not guarantee regular exports to Australia, and that every ton of petrol consumed in the sterling area involved some dollar outlay. He added that even if all the petrol suggested could be obtained from France, it would not be enoug to avert rationing in the next six months. COMPANY’S GAMBLE

An Ampol official said the company had already bought 9.500,000 gallons of French petrol, taking a gamble that the price would rise sufficiently to allow sale without loss.

Meanwhile, Mr W L. Pope, general secretary of the Queensland Automobile Chamber of Commerce, maintains that if the market is stabilised, the present Australian annual import quote of 440,000.000 gallons of petrol would be sufficient to meet the unrationed demand. Waves 75H High

CHERBOURG, Thu. (2 p.m.).—The liner Queen Elizabeth, after steaming through what the crew described as the worst weather in 40 years, arrived at Cherbourg from New r York 24 hours late.

The liner met waves frequently 75ft high. Several portholes were smashed, but there were no injuries.

Franco Goes Home MADRID, Thu., (11 a.m.). A holiday was proclaimed today when General Franco returned by air from Lisbon on the completion of his state visit to Portugal. Franco travelled in a special fourengined plane flown by his Air Minister (General Eduardo Galazn), Livestock Entries

Plans for the Whangarei A and P Society’s spring stock show were brought close to completion at an executive meeting of the society last night. The secretary (Mr- P. D. Corsbie) reporting on the numbers of entries said that in the livestock classes more than 1750 entries had been received.

Unlawfully On Course AUCKLAND. Fri. (P.A.)—Being unlawfully on the Auckland Trotting Club’s course at a race meeting last Monday cost Joe Cincotta, alias Guiseppe Cincotta, Go, cook and fireman, a fine of £ls when he appeared before Mr J. Molding, S.M., today. The police said Cincotta was on bail from the Supreme Court and had no right on the racecourse. Persia Denies

Torturing Jews BAGHDAD, Thu. (11 a.m.).—A Government spokesman today dismissed as propaganda Israel’s allegation that the Persian Government was persecuting and torturing Jews. He said that 40 Jews had been detained on a charge of threatening peace and security after an assault on Chief Rabbi Sasson Khedori. Vote On Leopold

BRUSSELS, Thu. (11 a.m.).—The Belgian Senate today approved a bill authorising a referendum on the question of the return to the throne of King Leopold. The bill will now go before the Chamber of Deputies. King Leopold stated last week that he was willing to abdicate if he obtained less than 55 per cent of the votes in the referendum.