RETURN TO PETROL LICENCES WANTED

Chronicle (Levin), 12 November 1947, Page 5

RETURN TO PETROL LICENCES WANTED

Press Associatinn ) -

(Per

AUCKLAXH, Xov. li. = Alarmed at the possibl-e eft'ecits on the dairy industry of petrol rationing tlirough reseller control, dairv coinpaines throughout the Auckland province have made urgent representa tions to the Minister of Agriculture seeking an immediate return to the petrol licensing system. \\ ith butter and cheese production ligures steadily mounting for the season in most distriets and harvesting about to commence, dairy factories which are the main suppliers of petrol to dairy farmers, are faced with an increased demand for petrol. Gn top of •the 10 per cent. cut in their allocatiou, several factories have an ready been advised by tlie OiJ Fuel Gon troller -that they must supply figures oi monthly saies or consumption from October, 194(5, to September, 1947, aua managers fear that on this basis they will not receive sufficient petrol to meet the increased demand for this season. Lnder the motor spirits retail restriction notiee brought out this month, it is expected that the cut will be 10 per cent. as for other retailers. Efforts to restriet their petrol saies by 10 pei cent,, which were made by some factories when the cut was first announced, have been unsuceessful as, except for a pegligible sale for private use, all their petrol was supplied to essentiaJ users. The needs of lorries operated by 1 the factories or contractors for the coi lection of cream and the cartage oi fertiliser, and Suppliers' demands toi petrol for niilking machines, water purnp engines and farm equipment, had to be met and it was found impossible to cut down on petrol without affecting cur rent production. One manager pointed out that his factory had many new suppliers since last season and additional farm macliin ery had been purchased bv some. farm ers to aid the production drive. In spite of the (lrawbacks and ineonven iences of the licensing system, he con»idered it was the only practicable soiu tion to the present problem confronting factories. The Government could have rn.ore production or less petrol used but I 40 1 both. ' t