DUTY ON OILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16010, 31 August 1915, Page 5

DUTY ON OILS.

PETROL AND KEROSENE. PROTECTION TO PUBLIC. GOVERNMENT TAKING ACTION [BY TELEGRAPH. — SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wkllim;ton, Monday. The question of the rights of the public in regard to the new duty on kerosene, petrol and other oils is engaging considerable attention. The duty is already being i "passed on" by many vendors of oils in regard to ttrcks which were in the Dominion before the duty was imposed. One well-known brand of kerosene has advanced 2s lOd per case, and the same .brand of benzine (motor spirit* adI vanced 2s 8d per case. The distributors of this brand .state that there aie no Mocks in store, every case they hold being already sold. The steamer Wairuna arrived to-day, and the new duty, of course, is being paid on her large shipment <f , oils and spirit. , There dees not at present appear to he any protection afforded the purchaser in retail against payment of 2s 8d to 3s per case extra, or the equivalent of the duty. even though the article purchased had not paid duty when it was sold. In these circumstances the State will not receive the duty, but the consumer will pay it in cases where the oil bought by him was , already in tho country before" the duty was collected. Instances have already come under the notice of the prices of petrol and kerosene ! having been raised by 10 per cent., even though the -pecific stocks upon which the additional price has been put have been in shop or store for some time and have not been -übject to the new- duty. | The Government, states that it is determined not to permit the public to surfer victimisation in this way. It. is understood that cises reported to the authorities have been noted and that the law will be put in motion. Already information has been obtained of instances where ci Siemens have been charged an additional 20 per cent, for petrol and kerosene. ''The Government," said the Prime Minister this evening, "is going to tackle this question. 1 have referred the matter to the Attorney-General, and the matter will be dealt with. We cannot allow what is taking place to go 0r.."