PETROL ALLOCATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24838, 11 February 1942, Page 4

PETROL ALLOCATION

NO UNFAIR DISCRIMINATION EXPLANATION BY MINISTER (F.b.P.Ri> WELLINGTON; Feb. 10. A denial of the suggestion that there had been any unfair discrimination in the administration of the petrol restrictions was made by. the Minister of Supply, Mr D. G. Sullivan, replying in the House of Representatives to-day to a question by Mr J). ,~Gi Kidd* (Opposition, Waitaki). Mr Kidd asked whether it,was a, fact thatrmembers,of local - bodies, such as county .councils and hospital boards, who had td travel some distance to meetings with nb other ; means of transport than their cars, Were not allowed petrol, to attend such meetings, while union secretaries were being supplied with petrol. He added that .members of * local bodies were carrying out essential work: in a voluntary capacity. The innuendo contained in-the;ques-tion was entirely' without foundation in fact, said Mr Sullivan in his reply. When the drastic restrictions oh the use of petrol became necessary trade union secretaries were treated in the same way as business men.... : Mr Kidd: No union secretary has been supplied with petrol since the restrictions?

Mr Sullivan: I'll answer the question in my own way. Mr Sullivan said that a, number of country unions had found themselves entirely unable to carry on, and subsequently arrangements had been made with the New Zealand Workers' Union, as with a number of other business organisations, including the newspapers, that if they installed gas producers on their cars they would be given enough petrolto carry on for a few weeks while the installation was being made. City union secretaries had been given no petrol; and so far as he knew no arrangements had yet been made with trade unions other than the one mentioned. He hoped, however, that arrangements would be made with other unions as with business organisations for. the supply of enough petrol to activate gas producers. The Leader of the Opposition; Mr S. G. Holland: Do you think you will be able to extend the arrangement to the National Party? Mr Sullivan said he'resented any charge of discrimination in the administration of the petrol restrictions. The National Party was a political party, and petrol had been refused to all political parties. • " There has been absolute fairness in the administration of the petrol restrictions, and the honourable gentleman, before putting his question, which implied unfairness, might have given me an opportunity of telling him the truth." said the Minister. During the oast fortnight arrangements had been made for the chairmen of county councils, and, he believed, of hospital boards, to be given petrol enable

them to carry on, ' , - ■' : -'- : 'J-'/'-' Mr-Kidd said that he had been misrepresented. Nothing had been furithVr from his mind than to score a noint on a political question, as the Minister had