MOTOR TRADERS’ COMPLAINT

Southland Times, Issue 24227, 10 September 1940, Page 8

MOTOR TRADERS’ COMPLAINT

PETROL RATION TOO SMALL REPLY TO MINISTER OF FINANCE . The New Zealand Motor Trade Federation has issued a statement in reply to-the remarks of-the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, in Parliament on August 29 on the question of petrol rationing.

"Far from there being no restriction on importation,” the federation says, “there is the greatest restriction, that is, restriction arising out of the refusal oi the Government to make funds available to pay for petrol as it is received. But for the willingness and ability of the oil companies to carry large stocks, far beyond their present sales needs, without payment, the Government’s present policy would deprive the country of' any safety margins.” Dealing with dollar conservation, the federation said the truth was still obscure. It had been stated that. 69 per cent, of the petrol imported into New Zealand came from the Dutch East Indies, and it was noted that Mr Nash did not deny that payment cotild be made in sterling. However, the case for an increase in the petrol ration was not dependent on the argument about dollar exchange. MONTHLY ALLOWANCE “The Government fixed 6,000,000 gallons a month as the quantity of petrol necessary to meet the essential needs of New Zealand. The usage permitted during July was considerably below this and it is very likely that when the •figures are available the usage in Aug'ust will be lower still,” the statement proceeds. “These monthly figures include the greatly increased quantities of petrol required for defence training purposes in New Zealand; consequently the Government is now stretching the quantity of petrol it previously considered necessary for essential services in New Zealand to include also the extra and ever-increasing gallonage required for defence purposes and also the volume necessary to create reserve stocks. This the Government is doing at the expense of the commercial and private owners of motor-vehicles and at great economic cost to the country.” This was illustrated by the fact that the New Zealand motorist was actually allowed less petrol than the private motorist in England and considerably less than the private motorist in other British Dominions, such as Australia, South Africa and Canada. Surely Mr Nash would not have it believed that the British Government would expect the New Zealand motorist to operate on a smaller ration of petrol than that allowed to the private motorist in England. LITTLE STERLING INVOLVED

“The Motor Trade Federation is definitely of the opinion that a monthly ration of 7,000,000 gallons would solve the main problems in this very important question,” says the statement. “The amount of sterling involved would be in the region of only £25,000 a month. Mr Nash has not yet produced convincing evidence that the United Kingdom Government is desirous of upsetting the economy of this Dominion for the sake of £25,000 a month, which is a mere bagatelle when compared with the present war expenditure of Great Britain. As an alternative, the motor industry in New Zealand would be very happy to accept the proposed Australian rationing scheme which is due to come into operation on October 1. It is interesting to note that in his policy statement, the leader of the Federal Labour Party, Mr J. Curtin, opposed the Australian Government’s petrol rationing plan, which he said he would try to correct without ruthlessly disturbing the motor industry. Evidently Mr Nash has other ideas than Mr Curtin.”