SOLDIERS ON LEAVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24723, 27 September 1941, Page 8

SOLDIERS ON LEAVE

ALLOWANCES OF PETROL A LACK OF UNIFORMITY (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 26. Inconsistencies in the handling of soldiers’ applications for petrol licences when on final leave were alleged by the Otago representatives at the annual meeting of the South Island Motor Union to-night. Members urged that soldiers on final leave should be treated more liberally. Soldiers due to go overseas applying for licences for petrol in Otago were refused them unless they could give -a special reason, said Mr P. W. Breen. In England, he was told, any soldier had only to produce his leave pass to get petrol for 300 miles at any time. The least that could be done for men going overseas was to provide them with 10 gallons to run round with, no matter what the circumstances were. If the Government removed the anomalies and inconsistencies it would have less criticism. “ The Minister says the soldiers are treated the same all over New Zealand,” Mr Breen added. “We have evidence that that is not so.” An Instance Cited Official instructions had been sent to the oil fuel controllers in each centre for dealing with the issue of petrol to soldiers on leave, said Mr P. F. Harre (Otago). These said that petrol could be allowed only if there was proof of urgency, if details of the journey were given, and if there were no other means of transport. , “On August 18 in Christchurch a licence for 10 gallons was issued to a soldier on final leave,” he said. “No car was named on the licence, and no purpose for its use was stated. It was used with two or tln-ee cars, twice in Christchurch and once in Dunedin. When the case was put to the Controller he replied that licences must he issued in accordance with the regulations.” Mr W. R. Carey said he was a member of the local Oil Fuel Advisory Committee. A lack of information about what was done in other centres placed the committee at a disadvantage, and an application to Wellington brought no satisfaction. “It seems that the rule is. ‘Do what you can when you can,’ ” he added. “ The members are there to carry out the instructions, but they can get no guidance as to the principles on which other committees are acting in similar circumstances. Need for Uniformity Mr G. W. Ferens said that in Dunedin licences for petrol for the troops were issued, not by the committee, but by officials of the department. Mr G. W. Laurence (North Island Motor Union) said that it was only when applicants had sufficient knowledge to insist on their application going before committees that the committees ever saw them. It was decided, on the motion of Mr Ferens, to suggest to the Minister of Supplv (Mr Sullivan) that steps should be taken to co-ordinate the policy of all the oil fuel advisory committees. -