PETROL SALES

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1931, Page 6

PETROL SALES

■A COMPARISON

HIGH QUALITY SUPPLIED

LOCALLY

WELLINGTON, August 22

The assertion that the profits on the sale of petrol in Sew Zealand were not as big as they were represented was made by the Postmaster-General (the iHonl J. B. Donald) in the House of Representatives yesterday. .«ir Donald stated that it had been contended that the Government could make £2,000,000 by importing petrol direct, but an analysis of the figures did not , support this, contention. The wholesale price of petrol in England today was Is 2Vd, while the price in New Zealand was Is 71 d. Last year 68,000,000 gallons were imported into the Dominion, and the quality of the petrol was higher than it was in England. In fact, the first-grade petrol used in New Zealand wafe of the same grade as that used for aviation purposes in America. (Tn 'New Zealand there was a duty of 6.3 d per gallon and in England 6‘d per gallon. This meant that the' difference in price between the two countries was jjust over per gallon, and on this basis the New Zealand Government could not hope to make any more than £1,250,000. When one took into consideration other 'factors, such as the greater distribution cost in New Zealand, the much larger number of facilities which had’ to be provided for motorists owing to the scattered nature of the country, and the consequent greater loss m evaporation, the position was not as ..favourable as it was made to be. He held no brief for the petrol compands, but wished to place the facts of the position before the House.