PETROL FOR PLEASURE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 24 October 1941, Page 6

PETROL FOR PLEASURE

GOVERNMENT TOURIST TRIPS \\ POSITION OF RESELLERS Wellington, Oct.. 23 • “While there is petrol for private an< I | pleasure use by private cars, it is con s j sidered reasonable to allow petrol oi I a restricted basis for trips by publu -1 road transport services to tourist anc ? scenic resorts,” says the Minister o 1 Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, ii reply to a question recently asked ii * the House of Representatives by M: ? W. J. Poison (Opposition, Stratford). ’ j Mr Poison had asked whether Tour -1 ist Department trips were in keepinj M with the Government's petrol restric‘jtion policy. He also quoted allegation: ’ iof undue use of petrol by the military ' | authorities. Answering the suggestion that mei . j were moved from Avondale camp tc | make room for a race meeting, anc 1 that army trucks were used when there ; was a railway alongside. Mr Semple states that the bulk of the men were I moved to a place not served by a rail- | way, and that others were signaller* 1 transferred to Papakura camp with [ signal equipment, which had to go by In view of the fact that oil comi panics had been granted a halfpenny increase in petrol prices to meet the cost of protective works at their bulk installations, Mr W. P. Endean (Opposition, Rcmuera) suggested to the | Minister of Supply. the Hon. D. G. I Sullivan, that resellers should be simii larly considered in regard to their ser- ■ vice in assisting the army by permitj ting the use of some of their tanks for I reserve purposes. Mr Sullivan explains that the halfpenny referred to was not permitted I by way of profit to the oil companies. ' but was simply to recoup the cost of carrying out essential protective works I directly associated with the war effort. The Government was considering the effect of petrol restrictions on the bona (fide reseller. Certain proposals had boon considered, and the Government was carefully examining the position in I which the resellers had been placed. : “The Government,” concludes the ; Minister, “is appreciative of the work , being done by the resellers in storing ! the Government petrol, and this fact will be taken into consideration.”