CHANGES BEING MADE

Grey River Argus, 10 April 1948, Page 3

CHANGES BEING MADE

P.A. WELLINGTON. April 9. Important alterations affecting business executives, farmers, and the owners of pleasure launches will be made in petrol rationing from April 15. During March every gallon of petrol provided under New Zealand’s quota was consumed. The Minister of Supply, Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, said this afternoon (hat a review of the basic ration licenses granted to company executives was necessary, because of numerous complaints of abuse. Apparently many people under that heading- were receiving more petrol than they needed for business purposes. “The existing allowance of ten gallons pei' month to farmers who live more than ten miles from the nearest town of a thousand or more population has been found inadequate for those whose farms are long distances from a town, while many farmers, who are just under the ten mile limit, are finding it difficult to make the necessary trips to town on their coupons”, continued Mr Nordmeyer. “New licences will be issued which will enable farmers living more than five miles from the nearest town to make one trip to town a week. “The illowances to pleasure launches during the period May to September ‘both inclusive’, are being discontinued, because there is comparatively’ no boating during the winter months. Small token grants, varying from one to four gallons per month, according to the size of the craft, will be made to enable the engines to be turned over and the batteries charged. “A» reasonable allowance is to be made to enable certain sports, where comparatively large teams are involved, to carry on. because these sports Dlay a very important part tn our national life. All grants vill he made in consultation with the parent body of the particular sport, and will be confined, almost wholly, to' rural districts where it would be impossible to carry on the sport without petrol for transport”. He said that petrol would be made available, where necessary, to maintain vital services and essential industries. During March, said the Minister. work was centralised in Wellington in order to maintain a close check on consumption, and to ensure uniformity of decisions. From the experience gained, it was now possible to set out general principles for the guidance of the sab-district oil fuel controllers, who had been authorised to deal with all applications on their merits in light of these principles. It was recognised that representatives of industrial and trade organisations can render valuable advice regarding individual applications, and it has been decided to accept the offers of various organisations to cooperate with the local controllers in advising on matters affecting their own groups. Britain’s Black Market in Petrol LONDON. April 9. The Government’s committee of. inquiry’ into black market petrol dealings, says it is estimated that the dealings in 1947 vary’ between 30,000,000 and 180,000,000 gallons The committee itself suggests that, the black market/ petrol consumption in 1947 might have amounted to 47,000,000 gallons—about 160,000 tens —representing mote than hree per cent, of the amount for all u.-ers. .. . The comniitee .'.pcommends nriding petrol into “commercial” and “private” types by’ making commercial recognisably different by means of the use of a red dye and chemical which could be identified even in a weak solution. The coupons issued to private motorists should be valid only for private petrol and retailers should be prohibited from having commercial petrol in a pump marked “private.” The report recommends the deprivation of a motorists’ petrol, suspension of driving licenses and the cutting off of retailers’ supplies for 12 months as penalties, accident.