PETROL AND OIL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 89, 8 January 1918, Page 10

PETROL AND OIL

GOVERNMENT ARRANGES FOR SHIPMENTS. Anxiety has been felt for some time past regarding the supplies of petrol and other mineral oils in New Zealand. Stocks have been falling low, and shipping space for the carriage of oil from the United States was hard to obiain. The danger of an oil famine has been removed by an arrangement just completed by tho Go.'enmient. In September last it was- found desirable to take a census of stock:! of kerosene, benzine, petrol, and other case oils available for consumption _in the Dominion. The information which was collected by the Government Statistician, with tho assist'i'ioc of Li;e Post and Tolegrapli Department, indicated that there was a possibility of an acute shortage of such oils. Tho Prime Minister therefore placcd himself in [communication by telegraph with the Imperial authorities, through the High Commissioner, London, and as the outcome, have been completed for two steamers to lift a supply from the United States of America, estimated at from sixty to seventy thousand cases.

A further fifty thousand cases are available at a United States port 'for exportation to .New Zealand. It is hoped that the necessary arrangements 'to provide shipping space for this oil will he completed at an early date. Through the action taken by the New Zealand Government a special rate of freight has been fixed, on the understanding that the consumers shall receive all benefits arising therefrom.