PRICE OF PETROL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23435, 25 February 1938, Page 8

PRICE OF PETROL

OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND AREA FIXED FOR FIRST TIME (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Feb. 24. Regulations fixing the retail and wholesale price of motor spirit in tlm Otago and Southland district are issued with to-night’s Gazette. “In continuance of the Government’s policy of introducing regulations fixing the price of motor spirit.” said the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr D. G. Sullivan) in an interview to-night, “ regulations fixing the wholesale and retail price of motor spirit in the Otago and Southland districts have now been passed. Owing to the costs of transport and to avoid sharp advances in prices in the remoter areas provision has been for sales to be made e.t a price showing a traction of a penny less than a halfpenny. The regulations have been so designed that in those areas where a farthing operates the reseller will be permitted so to adjust the selling price as to avoid the inconvenience to motorists of having to deal in farthings. Such an adjustment, of course, will not be permitted where the total price to be paid works out to an even halfpenny “In other respects,” the Minister said, “ the regulations now introduced are similar lo those operating in most other areas My experence with the introduction of the regulations in other areas has convinced me that regulations of the type now introduced in the Otago and Southland districts are of material benefit to all sections of the motoring trade, and at the same time I have been able in those areas to preserve for the resellers a margin of profit of 3d a gallon, as is genera] throughout the Dominion.”