STRATFORD NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1928, Page 10

STRATFORD NEWS

HIGH COST OF PETROL. PRICE PAID IN NEW ZEALAND. The cost of petrol was the basis of a report submitted by Mr. A. E. Ansell, president of the Otago Motor Club at a recent meeting. He had obtained, some figures from the Comptroller of Customs and members would see how these ranged. In 1927 New Zealand imported 48,042,640 gallons of petrol, and in 1926, 44,817,512 gallons. In 1926 the average cost per gallon was Is 2d and the wholesale price Is lOd, leaving a gross profit of 8d per gallon. In 1927 the average cost was ICd per gallon while the whole sale selling price was Is 7d, a gross profit of 9d per gallon. In 1928 the cost was 7%d per gallon, plus the petrol tax of 4d, or 11'/cd, and the wholesale selling price Is lO<l showing a profit of lOjd. The Dominion had imported over 48,000,000 gallons of petrol, on which, at Id per gallon, there was a total profit of £200,000. Members would see, continued Mr. Ansell, that if they took the difference between the gross profit of 8d in 1926 and of 10’/>d in 1928, the motorists and farmers, basing their figures on the 48,000,000 gallons, were paving the petrol companies £500,000 more than in 1926. This was despite the fact that they were led to understand that petrol pumps were going to lessen the cost of distribution.

They had come to the position that petrol was dearer in New Zealand, than anywhere else in the world, with the exception of Spain and Italy. The speaker had met a. friend who had told him that he was in America in October of last year. There the best grade of petrol was then being sold retail from petrol pumps at sjd per gallon. In England the price recently, with petrol tax added, was lid to Is per gallon. It had been pointed out by the oil companies that the cost of distribution in New Zealand was much higher than in other countries, because of the scattered population; but it had to be remembered that in the country districts, they had to pay a higher distribution cost, and this meant that they had to pay more for the petrol than they did in the centres. He thought a commission should be set up and the government should ascertain whether or not this was profiteering. The Otago club passed the following motion; That the Government be requested to institute a board of trade inquiry in order to determine whether or not the petrol companies operating on the New Zealand market are obtaining more than a fair and reasonable amount of commercial profit.

TARANAKI STOCK FAVOURED. Another of Taranaki’s aristocratic Jerseys to leave the province is the splendid two-year-old bull, Jersey St. Soumise, bred by Mr. A. J. Smith of Cardiff, and sold last week to an Australian buyer. Jersey St. Soumise is. by Silvermino Knight (a son of Grannie’s Knight) out of St. Lambert’s Bell (gold medalist and a C.O.R. of 7801bs fat). It is understood the figure at which the sale took place is a satisfactory one. Recently, Mr. Smith also sold four choice pedigree Jersey in-calf heifers to go to Wairarapa. Jersey St. Soumise is a full brother to St. Lambert’s Duke, for which Mr. J. W. Boon, of Stratford, paid such a high price in order to send him to his farm at Whakatane. PERSONAL AND GENERAL. Mr. Rex Brewer, formerly of the Stratford staff of 'the Bank of New South Wales, left on Saturday on transfer to Westport. On the eve of his departure from Stratford on transfer to the Public Works Department, Gisborne, Mr. Bernie Kilpatrick was met by fellow-mem-bers of the Celtic Football Club on Saturday evening and given a true Celtic farewell. During the evening he was made the recipient of a fine travelling rug, his comrades wishing him all good fortune in his new position.

Mrs. E. Walter returned from Wellington on Saturday night, but Mr. Walter, M.P., will be unable to leave Wellington until the end of the session.

There will be no dearth of talent at the final ingleside of the season to be held by the Stratford Scottish Society at the Parish Hall on Wednesday night. The services of Mrs. Rankin, of Eltham, the well-known soprano, have been engaged, while Miss Massey (soprano) and Mr. F. Baird (tenor), of New Plymouth will also sing. Amongst the other performers will be the Peerless Trio, the Scottish Quartette and Messrs. P. Aitken and J. J. Duncan. KING’S THEATRE. “THE UNKNOWN” SCREENING. In the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer latest special production, “The Unknown," wich comes to the King’s Theatre tonight only, Lon Chaney plays the role of the “Armless Wonder” in a circus troupe. It is on fhih circus personality that the remarkable picture is based. No more comprehensive background for Chaney’s astonishing character gifts could be provided than circus life. Ilis ability to twist his supple body into weird shapes is as wonderful as his power to alter his facial expression so that his own features are unrecognisable. In “The Unknown,” he gives the title to the picture by the fact that, while he is an armless wonder by day he becomes a sinister, prowling figure by night. He is the star turn of the troupe, performing wonderful feats of armless strength and ingenuity. The way he secures a cigarette for himself, lights up and smokes, pours out tea and wine, throws knives and fires a rifle, all with his toes, leaves ono fairly gasping with wonderment. There is no doubt, Chaney is a most extraordinarily gifted player.