RATIONING OF PETROL

Southland Times, Issue 24232, 16 September 1940, Page 4

RATIONING OF PETROL

SACRIFICES MADE BY N.Z. MOTORISTS

“The spirit of the New Zealand people is completely attuned to the making of any sacrifices that may be imperative for war purposes. But what if they are asked to accept sacrifices greater than those of the British Isles who are today bearing the brunt of the war?” states a circular letter issued by the New Zealand Motor Trade Federation. “Surely then they may reasonably ask: ‘ls this necessity arising from war?”’ “That is just the position in regard to petrol. The motor trade has been,* and is, willing to make every sacrifice when the necessities of war dictate. We are prepared to concede the need for petrol rationing within reason. But when the New Zealand motorist is allowed less petrol than many British private car owners and less than half the petrol ration of the Australian motorist, we must feel that the vast industrial and commercial structure built on petrol is being placed in jeopardy for reasons outside the requirements of our war-time economy. “There seems to be no logical reason, which could be supported in fact and not merely in theory, to warrant such severe rationing. There seems no justification for the complete wiping out of hundreds of thousands of pounds iri earnings every year and of thousands upon thousands of pounds of taxation revenue to save a tittle of that sum in dollar exchange or overseas credit, or whatever it is the Government is trying to save.”