PETROL RATIONING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24418, 2 October 1940, Page 8

PETROL RATIONING

MOTOR WORKERS’ PETITION READING STOPPED IN HOUSE OBJECTION TO PROPAGANDA (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Oct. 1. On the grounds that a petition from Alfred Sullivan and 1017 motor me-chanics-and others ’ engaged in the motor ‘industry in ..Christchurch, requesting an immediate increase in the monthly. allowance of petrol to all users;.; 1 of- -motor- , transportation, contained propaganda that was outside its scope; ’the reading of a petition in the House .‘ .of Representatives • this afternoon was not continued. MR, :©.• t Holland (Opposition, Christchurch North) asked that the petition, which he presented should be road by , the Clerk of the House and was granted. The Clerk .had 'not proceeded far when the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) rose to a noint of order. . '• “ I find that the petition expresses a great deal of opinion on matters which are controversial” the Speaker (Mr W. E, Barnard) said, after perusing the petition. “In view ‘of the exception taken by the Prime Minister and the fact that it contains so much in the way of opinion, the petition should not be read. Severe Effect on Employment “Christchurch, as well as the rest of New Zealand, has suffered very severely in the avenues of employment decreasing through the very drastic contraction in the amount of petrol available to the motoring public," stated the petition. “On the maintenance of cars and trucks belonging to the public our livelihood depends. We ask that we be allowed to live up to your request that we ‘ work for our lives ’ at our own trade, in which we have spent most of our lives becoming proficient.” “It is evident that ample petrol is available at the source of supply and that ships are available to bring it to New Zealand, also that the usage of petrol will not hinder in any way very necessary war work, but will, in fact, help us to play our part through decent employment , in the country’s effort to win the war.” . Economic Repercussions The petition contended that petrol played such a big part in the economic life of New Zealand that the present severe restrictions on its use would spread unemployment far beyond the bounds of that trade and thus very seriously, affect the living of all New Zealand workers, who had a right to demand their national heritage of honest employment. The petitioners respectfully requested that the Government should make available immediately at least 7,000,000 gallons of petrol per month and thereby give them reasonable security of employment at their trade. RESTRICTIONS TOO SEVERE RELAXATION PRESSED FOR GOVERNMENT’S UNSATIS- !: (FACTORY ATTITUDE

(Special to . Daily; Time?) ; V.' :: ■ WELLINGTOk’, 1 Get 1

“The New ■ Zealand'Motor Trade Federation will continue to press for a-relaxation of the petrol restrictions,” said the secretary, Mr F. A. Knight, to-day. “for the indefinite announcement made by the Minister of Supply, Mr D. G. Sullivan, could not be considered satisfactory. Why did not Mr Sullivan, who must know every fact and detail, state what relaxation was proposed instead of stepping aside from the issue for another month? ”

More vital than that, continued Mr Knight, was. the extraordinary conflict between the repeated stated aim of the Government and the Minister of Supply, in to build up the economy of the Dominion, to increase production and its war effort, and the Minister’s announcement that relaxation was proposed only in respect of private motoring. Commercial users were, unless the Government saw reason, to be left where they were, and the motor trade forced further into a dangerously depressed state. The Motor Trade Federation’s petition would certainly not be dropped, said Mr Knight. Copies had been placed in every garage and service station, in the offices of automobile associations and at a number of other points where motorists met, he said. The indications were that it would be very. widely signed, though the time available was rather short as sheets and signatures were to be returned to the office of the federation by October 9. The federation received by mail this morning a sheet of signatures from the annual meeting of the South Island Motor Union. It contains the names of all the officials and every delegate to the conference, and those of a large number of past executive members. No effective answers had been given to the points made by the federation, said Mr Knight. It had not been denied, nor could it be. that far from a shortage there was a surplus of petrol on the world’s markets, that there were plenty of tankers to bring it to New Zealand, and that petrol supplies at present in New Zealand were at a record level, nor had it been explained why Britain, if the dollar and sterling exchange were the controlling factor, had not called upon other dominions to impose similarly severe restrictions, and had not herself imposed restrictions in her Ci'own colonies. “It is quite evident,” continued Mi Knight, “that the Minister of Supply has taken the easy way out. There is a growing power of indignation through the whole body of motorists, commercial and private, and the motor trade management and employees Oyer the restrictions, the necessity for which has not been explained in any satisfactory manner. To meet and subdue that indignation the Minister proposes to grant some indefinite and probably small increase of petrol next month to private motorists. Commercial users are not mentioned in the Minister’s statement. The Motor Trade Federation has never opposed the imposition of reasonable restrictions, but it has repeatedly asserted that the restrictions have been taken so far that hardship and loss have been caused to the workers' business and to the Government itself through the fall in taxation revenue. The Government, in an announcement made by Mr Sullivan, admits now that relaxation is warranted, and proooses to allow some unstated additional patrol ration for private motorists. The Government’s stated aim of maintaining business and war economy which is undoubtedly suffering from the present restrictions has seenvngly been entirely overlooked.’