Gentility of Kaitaia Questioned

Northland Age, Volume XVIII, Issue 37, 11 February 1949, Page 1

Gentility of Kaitaia Questioned

“Still Qtiite a Few,” Says Mayor

to pump operators would be in the vicinity of £IOOO for each of the t.'.ree lines of petrol. He went on to instance that the loss of petrol by tanker was only .05 percent with a maximum of .25, whilst i the loss by drums in decanting and ! ullage plus evaporation was an av- ! erage of 2 percent. He averred that as the tankers were fully loaded for not more than 50 ; percent of their journey, they caused ‘ less wear on roads- than did ordinary heavy transpoi't. ' In dispute of this last statement, Mr. Nicholls asked if this ref erred to Mangonui County. “Yes,” replied Mi-. Allen. “Can you say . that the cost of delivering petrol in bulk to Kaitaia is cheaper than by drums,” asked Mr. Nicholls. “I think I have already proved that.” Mr. Allen diluted Mr. Niche 11s’ computation of from 7000 to 10,000

o When Mr. D. Archibald, Mayor of Kaitaia, was giving evidence as a business man in support of the application for tanker licenses before the Transport Licensing Authority in Kaikohe yesterday, there was a smart passage between him and Mr. G, Nicholls who was appearing for the Kaitaia Co-op. Dairy Co., Ltd., and the Mangonui County Council. Mr. Archibald stated that he had been in business in Kaitaia over 28 years, and during that time he had served well over 20 years in some public capacity or other, having been Mayor of Kaitaia since the last election. He went on to instance the growth of the community, stating that in 1926 there had been 553 ratepayers, whilst in 1948 there were approximately 1200, with a borough population of some 1600. He staled that he was a petrol reseller and that when he had had to decant for his bowser supply, he had shipped his drums by Northern Steam Ship Co. using th e Frankham Shipping Co. as he required.

gallons of benzine as the amaunt needed to deliver petrol to the Mangonui County. He said that this was far in excess of fact. He went on to say that only 2334 gallons of petrol had been used over a three months’ period serve the Mangonui, Hokianga, Whangaroa and Bay of Islands C^ofttrties... When Mr'Yj-xmjd wae*fo cross-ex-ami :e Mi-,„Ali«n, ne Mr. Allies figures, and fications. * Seven-pence Differential ? “You will have to be cd'el’ul, Mr. Gould,” admonished- Mr. Phelan. “That’s not the way to talk to the witness. Be fair. You’ve always been a '-good boy in the past. But yotPre not a good boy today, and is l-i'nn iron nvo ltninrr irni'tr fav

mre, you are being very tar ful. Now let’s make this friendly. Just watch what you say to the witness.” Mr. Gould’s questions were concerned mainly with the differential allowed the companies, and he was parxicularly persistent in the matter of if Mr. Allen knew that the com?|taiies had made application for a of 7d. Mr. Allen’s . denial of such an amount did in any way to

satisfy Mi\ Gould; and he continued to return to the attack with utmost persistence. But all his endeavours were unable to thrust Mr. Allen into any admission bf the knowledge of such or any other amount being asked for. Mr. Allen stated that this did not come within his province. Challenged on his figures giving “differentials,” charged by the—Shell Company to its custoffrers in the northern counties, Mr. Allen saifhlms figures had been compiled from information gained from members of his staff from individual petrol resellers, v Mr. Gould insisted that if the cartage schedule rates were applied 10 the drum trade, Mr. Allen’s figures would be altered. '* Mr. Allen replied that there were other factors, such as loss of petrol through cartage in drums, but when Mr. Gould insisted exclusion of all other factors, he agreed that the figures might then be altered if thp schedule cartage rates were applied

He also stated that he still had shipped to him a few drums this being for the convenience of contractors and farmers who had such an amount as 44 gallons on their license for special work. In answer to Mr. Ross, Mr. Archibald declared that the tanker service was unequaled, and had he the option of either one or the other service, he would not hesitate to take the tanker one. It was cleaner, quicker, more reliabe, and a saving of time and labour, stated Mr. Archibald. The benzine was there when it was wanted. To Mr. Nicholls, Mr. Archibald said that it was essential that butter must leave the county by' boat, and that it was undesirable that fliis

should be sent by road. In admitting that the boat was essential to Kaitaia, Mr. Archibald stated that there had been no written agreement between the business nouses and the shipping company that goods for Kaitaia should be shipped, it had been in the manner of a “gentlemen’s agreement." * “I didn’t think there were any gentlemen in Kaitaia,” said Mr. Nicholls facetiously. “There are still unite n few.’* re?,lied

mere are sun quite a lew, replied Mr. Archibald. T 0 Mr. Gould, Mr. Archibald said that he didn’t know 7 if he was the iiggest petrol reseller in the district. He hadn’t access to the books of the other resellers. “Don’t you really know?” asked Mr. Gould sardonically. “I don’t.” Mr. Gould went on to ask if Air. Archibald had been chairman of a meeting of petrol resellers, when it had been mooted that the differential should be 7d. Mr. Archibald replied that he did not think he had been, as he could remember nothing of any such suggestion. He said he had heard of Mr. Belcher, and suggested that it was his sons who knew this gentleman. “What would have been your attitude if there had been a suggestion to have the differential made 7d?” asked Mr. Gould. “He’s a Scotsman. You ought to know the answer,” laughed the Authority. Air. Gould persisted in his question on the matter of the meeting. “Come, come, Mr. Gould,” reproved

Mr. Phelan. “He say he doesn’t know or remember any 7 such time.” Mr. Archibald intimated that if the differentia! was set at sevenpence, then he would be all for it if it meant the retention of the tanker service that was giving such satisfaction in the district.