Tankers Given Kaitaia Better Service

Northland Age, Volume XVIII, Issue 38, 15 February 1949, Page 4

Tankers Given Kaitaia Better Service

GARAGE PROPRIETOR STATES j When Mr. G. C. Wilson, garage proi prietor of Kaitaia, took the stand, ! he. outlined carrying charges as | scheduled for benzine in drums, and explained why a carrier had - native charges for this type of woik. He stated that petrol resellers welcome the innovation of the tankers i “with open arms.” Since the day they had started, ho j went on to say, petrol over almost all the Mangonui County had dropped by id to Id per gallon. He instanced I a drop of Id in Peria, Id in Herekino, I id in Mangonui, Id in Whangape and I id in Kaitaia. He assured Mr. Ross that these figures had been given him by petrol resellers in the places mentioned. Mr. Nicholls in cross-examination, suggested that there had not been a drop of id in general in Kaitaia because there had been no charge prior t 0 this of 3/2J per gallon. Mr. Wilson stated that to his ledge every retailer in Kaitaia had made the reduction. “I don’t think the witness knows , much about it,” said Mr. Nicholls. “I think I know more than you about it, Mr. Nicholls,” retorted Mr. Wilson. “I don’t think we need all these interjections,” said the Authority, Mr. Phelan. “We might as well be polite to each other. I think we’ve had enough of this sort of thing. There’s always a certain amount jot dirty linI en being washed when these little loc- | al vendettas are going on.” “I was not aware that I have been anything but polite,” said Mr. Nicholls. “You might as well have called the witness a liar. I won’t have that sort of talk in this court. He’s telling you what he knows. We’ve got to be generous and accept a man’s word,” replied Mr. Phelan. Mr. Nicholls continued his questioning, which then had special reference to a meeting of petrol resellers that was held in Kaitaia. The Authority insisted that the line of questioning was getting them nowhere and was not very helpful. Mr. Gould followed Mr. Nichoils and followed the same line of questioning. He tried to elicit from Mr. Wilson that at the meeting mentioned, a differential of 7d had been mentioned and discussed, and at that meeting a Mr. Belcher of the Shell Co. had been present solely for the purpose of discussing this amount. Mr. Wilson in reply stated that Mr. Belcher had been known to be in the north at that time, and he had been invited by the resllers to be present to give advice on ways and means of rectifying a wrong that the retailers were suffering. Differentials had not been discussed.