PETROL SUPPLIES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16261, 11 July 1918, Page 8

PETROL SUPPLIES.

— government control. As the result of dissatisfaction regarding the distribution of petrol, the Board of Trade, at the request of the Government have prepared comprehensive regulations regarding its importation, salo and distribution. The regulations prfcvide that the maximum retail prices will be for Class A (petrol, motor spirit benzine, naphtha, and Class B (distillate and naphthalito). At Auckland, -Wellington, Ghristchurch, and, Dunedm. Per case of not Per tin of not less tham < less than Bgals. 4 gals, s. d. o. d. A - 11 r US Class B 23 6 11 3 At Napier and Tunaru. . Class A •• 28 0 «® . Class B . 23 11 w . At "Wanganui, Now Plymouth, and Gisborne. Class A •• 29 p . " ® Class B 21 0 12 0 ■ i At lavercargill. • „ • Class A .. 29 6 MO Class B v. 21 C — d At any place other than £hese ports the maximum retail price ofpetrol shaU bo the maximum retail price fixed as aforesaid.for the port, from which tho seller customarily obtains his supply or petrol, or where there is no such Customary port of supply, then for the nearest port, together in each case with - such addition to the maximum retail price.for that port as is equivalent to the actual cost of transportation Irom 1 the port to the place of salo. _ . Mr W G. McDonald President of the Board of Trade, stated yesterday morn- j ine that the importations of petrol into New Zealand during the war period.exceeded in volume the importations which took place before the war by some ' millions of gallons annually, and tba importations during the early part of! • 1918 were in excess of those for a similar period in 1917. The Board's schemo, T*© explained, aimed at controlling distribution through the importing companies and "the big distributors, would be licensed by tho Minister of Munitions on the recommendation of the Board of Trade. The scheme was ; the Outcome of a conference between jJie big importers and the Board, and an advisory committee, consisting or Messrs Cate, of the Vacuum Oil Company and Shirtcliffe, of A; S. Paterson and Co., hadbecn/feet up to advise the Board and the Minister of details of the scheme. Sir McDonald added that there wasno actual shortage of supplies, but the present alleged shortage had been brought about ; by panio-buying and by hoarding. „ The vice-president of the local Motor Garage Proprietors' Association, Mr H. J. Ranger, wrote yesterday to the Chairman of the Board of Trade, stating that, he had seen an announcement, coming from-Wellington, in a morning paper to the effect that the Board were controlling the petrol business, and bad fixed'a certain scale jof charges for the principal towns in New Zealand. The writer continued"My executive would like some information on the subject, so that we may discuss the position. Looking at the announcement casually, it seems that your Department is fixing the retail price absolutely without any consideration for the who'esale. I know for certain that 20,000 cases of petrol were sold in "Wellington wholesale at 30s per case net; that 8000 cases were sold in Christchurch at 28s 6d net, and that contracts have been booked up or other supplies at 28s, ship side, Lyttelton, at 29s ditto, both the latter cases to arrive, and it seems on the face of it a very remarkable thing that the Government can fix a retail orice of 27s 6d. However, this is by the way, and my Association would deem it a. very great favour if your Department would be good enough to tender some information."