DUTY FREE PETROL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19166, 24 November 1927, Page 10

DUTY FREE PETROL.

_-♦ LARGE SUPPLIES AFLOAT. [THE PBESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, November 23. Three substantial cargoes of cased petrol, which will just escape the tax of 4d a gallon on motor spirits, are due in Auckland during the first week in December, It is also believed that the two oil companies which distribute in bulk have each a tanker on the water which has non-dutiable petrol for New Zealand. One of the ships, the West Calera, left San Pedro, California, for Auckland on November Bth, the last day of grace. She will unload at Auckland and other New Zealand ports, 42 964 cases and 2305 drums of petrol, a total of 443,505 gallons. This quautity would invoke £7393 in petrol taxes if the steamer had left a day later. The Crosskeys left San Pedro on November 6th with 21,000 cases and 1200 drums of petrol, all for Auckland. This fortunate departure saves £3666 for Auckland importers and if the price of petrol is advanced before tho discharge of the two cargoes, about December 2nd ' and 4th, oil vendors would clear in the aggregate £11,059 on the consignments by these vessels. Tho City of Lyons, w-hich left New York on November oth, has also a cargo of case petrol for New Zealand ports, which will escape the levy. One distributor has not been so fortunate. He expects a consignment on December 20th of over 40,000 cases, which left on November loth. This will pav petrol tax, amounting to over £6300."