REDUCED PETROL RATION

Southland Times, Issue 24440, 21 May 1941, Page 2

REDUCED PETROL RATION

Principal Objections Fully Met

Stating that it was unfortunate that the most convincing reasons for reduction in petrol allowances were so confidential that they could not be revealed in print, the president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, Mr G. Fraser, said at New Plymouth that the public could rest assured that those privileged to hear those reasons were fully convinced. The position regarding petrol saving was discussed by Mr Fraser on his return to New Plymouth from Wellington. All the principal objections to reduction, including rationing in England, Australia, Canada, India and Fiji, had been dealt with and completely answered, he said. It was particularly pleasing to the commercial community that the Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, and the Oil Fuel Controller, Mr G. L. Laurenson, should take into their full confidence not only the representatives of the users, both private and business, but all those directly affected and should seek their advice and cooperation in effecting economies with the minimum inconvenience to those affected.

By the surrender of his temporary half-coupon a month the private consumer had been cut by 20 per cent., and in the meantime this was considered sufficient, said Mr Fraster. Under the projected arrangements the owners of commercial pumps would voluntarily forgo their present rebate, as would transport operators using less than 600 gallons a month. The money thus saved by the oil companies would be used to compensate the proprietors of filling stations for their loss of private trade, and thus keep in existence a guarded source of well-distributed petrol stock so necessary for defence purposes. CORRECTING ABUSES It was believed, said Mr Fraser, that the balance of the reduction at present required could be obtained by correcting abuses that existed among all classes of licensees, including some commercial users, farmers, transport operators and Government officials.

Most astonishing disclosures were made by the Oil Fuel Controller, who was fully aware of the existence of abuses, but found it difficult to rectify them without the wholehearted cooperation of the community. Most of the abuses occurred through the use for other purposes of petrol granted under special licence for specific purposes.

It was made clear that licensees who did not use the full amount of fuel granted under their licences for any particular period would not be penalized by a reduction in future periods. On the other hand, any savings that could be made would be regarded with favour.

When the forthcoming reductions were in operation New Zealand would have reduced her petrol consumption to a little over half her pre-war consumption.

When it came to detail in reduction, said Mr Fraser, complications necessarily arose, and the full co-operation of everyone was necessary to bring them into operation and create a public opinion that would render those who abused their licences objects of scorn in the community. It was the duty of every good citizen to expose any abuses of which he became aware.