THAT COLLAPSE IN BBNZINE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1428, 1 May 1912, Page 5

THAT COLLAPSE IN BBNZINE.

TEE PINCH IN JUNE,

Thoro is to bo a very inconvenient shortage in tho supiily oi' benzine in New Zealand in ttbout two months. Telegrams from Auckland published in the muniing papers yesterday staled that Hie short suppiy hud already had the effect of raising the prico there to 15s. per case. Inquiry made of the local manager of the Vacuum Oil Company, wlio are tho main suppliers' of benzine, confirmed the truth of the Auckland news, lie t,tnl«l, however, that tho price of the product had not boon raised by his company, nor-did ho anticipate that it would lie. Hut ho fu'-lv expected that the stocks held by the company in Wellington of braninp would be totally exhausted nboiit Iho middle ni .Imio, .mid the uoxt: sliipmcnt could'not arrive until Julv. 'J'lio reason was tluil no shins could bo chartered during rcecni inon'ths to bring oil to .Now Zealand. All shins touching the American porU luul been immediately engaged to ca>rycoal on account of the supply of Enplish and \Wish coal failing in tho etnko times. Tho last shipment of bwuine had cost sd. per case moro for freight charges than i-im preceding one, for trhjon ttn excoutionnl'y hieh rate had boen paid, and lately it had been imiiossiblo to get any epneo at nil mi steamew. Although the Vftctrum Oil Oompany-ex-pect to sell, out all their stock in abmil mx weeks, it is unlikely that their customs will be altogether withouteomo smell supplies by that time. 4 shortage, is, for all that, inevitable, and consumers may-ex-pect that traders frill charge- liif»lier'fif!os than llio«o ruling undo? normal coiulitious.