RETAILERS DISTRIBUTE PETROL WITHOUT COUPONS

Chronicle (Levin), 7 June 1949, Page 5

RETAILERS DISTRIBUTE PETROL WITHOUT COUPONS

Received Tuesday, 11 a.m. SYDNEY, June 6. Following the decision by the High Court that Federal petrol rationing under defence power is invalid- and Mr. Chifley's telegram to State Premiers asking the States fco. institute their own rationing syist#-m^ confusion regarding petrol saies exists throughout Australia. .. Mr. Chifley gave a plain indication;"'tiiat oil imports would be kept at about their present level. Neverthel'^ssydil compajiiqs began supplying \retaiiers with ' petroj without coupons' directly thev discovered that fthe Federal Authority had collapsed, Many retailers passed on coupdriiess petrol to motorists and arC eontinuing to do so today as .long as supplies' hold out. Some oil companies have launched campaigns on a pre-war plan advertising new super petrols which' they say are the result of wartime and postwar research and which have been waiting a free market for years. A Government - spokesman said that the Commonwealth Government would not appeal to the Privy Council against the High Court decision. Such an appeal," he added, would probably be hopeless "beeause the decision was unanimous and it was unlikely that the Court would grant a certificate for an appeal. The Federal Government now had power to ration petrol only In Australian National Territory and in the Northern Territory, but this would be ineffective unless the States also introduced uniform systema.