POLITICS AND PETROL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20642, 14 August 1930, Page 12

POLITICS AND PETROL.

STATE DISTRIBUTION.

MR. HOLLAND'S ADVOCACY. REFORM CANDIDATE'S EXAMPLE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL HEX'OUTER.] - • WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The suggestion that the petrol tax should be elimiriated altogether and that the State should take over the control and distribution of that commodity was mado by the Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland, when speaking on the short title of the Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives this evening. Mr. Holland said it should he an easy matter for the House to come to an agreement on the question. At the Invercargill by-election the Reform Party had made the distribution of petrol by the State ouo of the planks in its platform. The candidate had pledged himself to support that plank. The Leader of the Opposition, the lU. Hon. J. G. Coates: It. was not accepted by the electors. Mr.-Holland: I think that was ono of tho reasons why ho polled far more votes that lie would have under other circumstances. (Laughter.) .'.'However," continued Mr. Holland, "tho Reform Party mado that plank in its platform. Tho national executive of the Reform Party must havo approved of it., otherwise the candidate would havo been asked to climb down."