BENZINE AND KEROSENE

Timaru Herald, Volume CIII, Issue 15742, 28 August 1915, Page 14

BENZINE AND KEROSENE

.MERCHANTS' STOCKS. PROTECTION OK THE PUBLIC. Special bo Mic '■ I'imar.i Herald." WELLINGTON. August, 27. Mr C. A- Wilkinson iHgrnoiit; a.-'.k<td the Minister o, Customs to-dav if be would have an inventory taken of tho stocks of lieu/.ine. kerosene and motor spirits in store on wuicli duty bad not lie.on paid, and see tu.it no increase should take pla-co in the price, till the present, stock,.-, wviv exhausted. Tho Hon. A. Myers said that. be would consider tho matter. Mr W. No.-j.vorrhy (Asiiburton) said that ho had received a. tel.grani to the rlfot-t that certain southern merchants had increased the price of kero■ono bv 2s 9(1 a case, and lie asked the Minister ior Einanee wheth.r hj.; would take act.'on to prevent this exploitation. S'.r Joseph Ward. If that lias been done ther. 1 want to .ay that tin: House wi.l be asked t:i take tho steps net;, ssary to protect the peopie from being exploited. It is quite r:ght no ioubt tliai when a duty is imposed on i coniinod.ty tho price of that commodity should be raised, bub if holders 'of stocks- of petrol an 1 benzine tir'nk '.hat we are going to stand bv and allow them to make a huge profit Jilt of l ill- people oi this country bo- . :iu<«' of the noces iiy on n:--;>mu <>l ; ';e war to increase taxation they will tind tha. they are mistaken. He added that he would he very pkas.-d t> ask the Mouse to give the G-ovevn-niont authority to deal with tliv matter effectively. .Mr .1. Payne (Grey Lynn) said that be was given ;o understand ihat all the store were inli of benzine and octroi. O '•:> company ho h:-]ieved had ."ii'.OOO cases in store which would represent an extra prolir o7 EiOOO. Mo fi.;jseytod that the mister should '.'(•elare tli-pse .'tore-, to be bond. Sir Joseph Ward sa:d ho would cen- - dor whether he siiould ask the Ibau'c to ./it authority to the Gov-\-riuiKMit to have an inventory of sto-ks made and to take sueh other [ tops as might be necessary to regulate tlr'nes fairlv. Mr F letchor - Vou ought to do it at once. i