PETROL RATIONING AT THE JUMP

Chronicle (Levin), 4 November 1947, Page 2

PETROL RATIONING AT THE JUMP

WKLLINOTON, Nov. 3. . "Coupon rationing wouid be very anerous auij lnoonvenient and would be like taking a sledge hammer to a peaiiut wlieii the ainount of petrol to be ..aved is considered. ' This was the eomment of the secfetary of the New Zealand Ketail klotor Trade Assoeiation, Mr. C. E. Edmond, on the. an '.iouiu. enient tliat restrictions 011 the eonsuinption of petrol were to be effeeted at the source. He said the trade would henceforth restrict nonn&l petrol saies to a Jive-day week, ^Londa) to Friday, with Friday hours contmu xng to 8 p.m. , Emergency statiom would be open on .Saturday and Suiulay, "but .they will be real emergency stations run aeeording to regulations,' he said. "Saies will be restricted to a real emergency and a proper record of saies will be kept aud will have to "be properly signed. Officers of the Trans port Department will "police" emergency stations to see that 'only real emergencies and bona lide through travellers are supplied. " Mr.. Edmond said his organisation had recommeuded resellers to split their monthiy quotas into weekly quotas and to restrict their weekly, saies in accordance. This wouid minimise the dauger of a period without petrol at tlie end of the month. lle did not see Iioav the system eouid lead lo blaek market aetivities. No more petrol could be sold in a month than was allocated to a reseller as pmnp metcr readings would be checked by inspectors. , " lf a reseller should I'avour customers who are prepared to pay a fanc.v price, it would be li serious matter. He might lose his liceuce to seJl. It would, howevc, uot aiTe'*l a saving for Brilain. It might uffect publie niorals, if any are left." The OiP Fuel ('ontrollcr, A tr. G. I.. Laurenson, said it must be realised Jhal some essential users could not be c.ui in sujiplies but with the good sense ot tlic public the scheme would be a success. The working of the scheme would be suppoiled by ihe Oi 1 Fuel Regula tions which remained in force ano penalties for breaches of restriction.would be 111 the hands of the court as in wartime. "I realise that we shall liave soirse troublc with the blaek market," said Mr. Laurenson, " but we sliall bc out to stop it at its iuception." Vndor Ihe Motor Spirits Relail Hestriction Notice, 11)47, which will come into force on November .1(5, tli resellers of petrol will have to appl.v for a permit ap]ilication form to be filled in bv. the holder of a reseller 's liccncc or tiv tlie person or firni using petrol for its own business. It requires a statement of monthiy saies oi eonsumption from October, 194(5, tr. Bepteiiilier, 1947. The penalty for falsc pr misleading information in tlie ap]ilicatiqj.i is l:tid down in regulalion 10 of the Supply (,'ontrol Emergency Regulations, 1939.