PETROL OUTLOOK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25288, 23 August 1945, Page 4

PETROL OUTLOOK

EUROPE COMES FIRST CANCELLED LICENCES THE POSITION OF TiYRES (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday "The Government lias been advised recently that the petrol supply position may become more difficult in the immediate future, due to the heavy European requirements for motor transport to replace the dislocated railways," said the Minister of Supply, Mr Sullivan, in the House of Representatives today. However, lie- added that he did not expect that New Zealand would be asked to revert to the original allocation. Mr Sullivan said he could not give an assurance that the small licences of four gallons, a month and under, which had recently been cancelled, would be restored, although he was sympathetic to the request. The Minister also discussed the future tyre position and announced #that holders of continuous special petrol licences prior to July 31 might still have tyres retrcaded on making application to a retreader or authorised dealer in the usual way. The only alteration in the procedure was that it had been necessary to devise a method .of obtaining corroboration that the applicant had held a continuous licence prior to that date. Position Still Unsatisfactory The subject of tyres was raised vvheil a written reply from the Minister to a question asked by Mr H. J. I). Acland (.Opposition—Temuka) and Mr W. S. Goosmau (Opposition—Waikato) was circulated. They had asked if the Minister would grant to previous holders of special licences the right of having tyres retreaded, or, alternatively, of reinstating these special licences. Referring to the written reply by the Minister, Mr Acland said that the position was still unsatisfactory. Motorists, particularly those in the country, had had to prove their essentiality before licences had been granted, but now their small four-gallon licences had been cancelled while those on bigger allocations had been left untouched. Mr Sullivan said that the conditions under which petrol allocations had been increased liacf been the outcome of considerable discussions since V-E Day and the cancellation of those licences had been one of the conditions imposed by the overseas authorities handling the supplies for the United Nations. Mr W. Sullivan (Opposition—Bay of Plenty) suggested that the cancellations must have been a local matter. The Prospects for Kubber The Minister replied that the overSeas authorities had stipulated that 50 per cent of the licences would have to be sacrificed to compensate for the increase in coupon values. "Why were some of those on the higher licences not sacrificed?" asked Mr Acland. The Minister said that New Zealand had been asked to comply with the conditions in spite of her representations. The Government had been advisod recently that the petrol supply position might become more difficult in the immediate future. The European demand operated similarly in regard to tyres. He had seen a statement recently that it was unlikely that there would be a substantial improvement in the rubber position for a year or 18 months, but a more recent statement had expressed American hopes of a considerable improvement during the , year. He could not reconcile the two statements, but the latter came from a very good source and was one on which a good deal of reliance could be placed. Mr A. J. Murdoch 'Opposition— Marsden) said he took it that the Minister must be guided by some comniit- : tee controlling petrol supplies and he i suggested that the allocation by licences should be rearranged. The Minister . could restore the petrol licences and then distribute the remaining petrol , pro rata among all the motorists in New Zealand. He also urged the distribution of tyres from stores held for war purposes. SUGAR SUPPLIES THE POSITION IN FIJI REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday "I am not aware that there is an , over-supply of sugar in Fiji or that sugar is being destroyed owing to ■ inability to dispose of it," said the • Minister of Supply, Mr Sullivan, in a written reply in the House of Repre- ; sentative today to a question asked pre- ■ viously by Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Oppo- * sition—Waitomo). Mr Broadfoot had alleged that sugar was in over-supply in i Fiji and that it was being destroyed . there owing to the inability to dispose i of it. The Minister stated that last February the Colonial Sugar Co.'s vessel Rona was at Fiji and. although the ' vessel was capable of carrying over 6500 tons, only 3400 tons was obtained. This shipment represented the final quantity available for export from Fiji's 1944 crusning season. Crushing in Fij| for the 1945 season did not commence until early this month and the first vessel with raw sugar was due in New Zealand at the end of this month. New Zealand's yearly quota of sugar was allocated by the London Food Council from the stocks available to the Allied Nations, and this included Fiji's production, continued Mr Sullivan. Irrespective of where the supplies came from. New Zeahind could obtain I only the quantity that had been a 1 loI cated. If Fiji could supply more and it was shipped to New Zealand, the Dominion would automatically be obliged to reduce the quantities taken from Australia. New Zealand had been endeavouring for some time to get additional supplies of sugar from the pool, but without success so far. The Government was hopeful, however, that there might be an improvement in the position toward the end of the yenr ; MOSQUITO BOMBER POSTPONEMENT OF VISIT (0.C.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Wednesday Because the crew are required for repatriation purposes, the visit of the Mosquito bomber which was to have arrived in New Zealand from India in a few days' time has been postponed for about a month. This advice was received from the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, today,' SAWMILL STRIKE ENDS AWARD TERMS ANNOUNCED (0.C.) GREYMOUTH, Wednesday Sawmills throughout Westland reI sumed production this morning following a two days' strike. The dispute arose from delay in the announcement of the workers' award by the Arbitration Court and involved the question of wettime pay. The terms of the award, in which the insertion of a wet-time clause was refused, were announced last night. WELCOME TO AIRMAN (P.A.) GISBORNE, Wednesday Gisborne paid tribute today at a civic, reception to its greatest airman of this war, Wing Commander Colin Gray, D.5.0., D.F.C. and two bars, who is home on short leave from the Royal Air Force. The Mayor. Mr N. H. Bull, traced the exploits of Wing Commander Gray in shooting down 27 4 enemy aircraft, He< expressed the sympathy of all with Wing Commander Gray in the death in action of his twin brother, Flying Officer Kenneth Gray, D.F.C., Czech War Cross.