PRICE OF BENZINE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 96, 17 January 1921, Page 4

PRICE OF BENZINE

MINISTER SAYS IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Palmerston North, January 16.

Recently, the Manawatu Sub-Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union drew the attention of the Minister of Industries and Commerce to the high prices of benzine ruling in the district, compared with the price which Mr. T. M. Wilford stated in the House that he had imported a consignment from America. At a meeting of the executive on Saturday, a reply was received from the Minister, who pointed out that Mr. M ilford had procured the oil at a much lower cost than the usual shipments coming to the Dominion, although the prime cost at the port of shipment was equal to that paid by the importers during the period in question. Mr. Milford was, however, not called upon to pay the charges usually borne by importers, such as storage, demurrage, State tolls, chartering commission, London exchange, and cost of credit. On arrival of the petrol at this end, Mr. Wilford’s charges included wharfage, primage, and cartage, whereas the importer had to pay stacking charges, handling in and out of store, loss for leakage, reconditioning, insurance at s/tore, and interest on stocks awaiting sale. When allowance was made for distribution costs in the Dominion. it did. not appear from Ml. Wilford’s experiment in oil importing that the retail price here was unreasonable. . After considerable discussion, it was resolved to submit the Ministers letter to Mr. Wilford for any remarks he might have to make thereon.