“INDUSTRY BEING HAMPERED”

Southland Times, Issue 24239, 24 September 1940, Page 6

“INDUSTRY BEING HAMPERED”

EFFECT OF RATIONING OF PETROL VIEW OF MOTOR TRADE FEDERATION (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 23. Repeating his statement that the present rationing of motor fuel was hampering the industry in New Zealand, the president of the New Zealand Motor Trade Federation (Mr C. R. Edmond) said the motor trade still considered that the ration for the Dominion could be increased by 1,000,000 gallons monthly without any serious effect on the exchange or the tanker position. Mr Edmond was replying to a statement made by the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) on Friday. He emphasized that both the employees and employers in the motor industry took second place to none in their loyalty to the Empire war - cause and added that the federation had not at any time questioned the rightness of the policy of rationing petrol, nor had the federation ever doubted that this policy of the conservation of petrol had been followed at the request of the United Kingdom Government. “On the other hand, our understanding is that the United Kingdom Government has never, at any time, defined the extent to which rationing should be imposed in New Zealand. It is just at this point that the opinion of the Motor Trade Federation diverges from the policy of the New Zealand Government.

“The federation is of the opinion that the monthly ration should be based on 7,000,000 gallons, whereas the Government is basing its policy on an allowance of 6,000,000 gallons a month, he said.

After referring to the stock position and the Government’s decision to have a greater reserve, Mr Edmond said the federation knew that the reserve storage position would be satisfactory at a very early date and it trusted the Government would then implement its promise to restore the cut which was imposed on July 1. The federation also suggested that when the ration position was reviewed the federation, as representing the whole of the industry, including the workers, should be brought into consultation, he said. “We feel sure,” concluded Mr Edmond, “that a rationing scheme could be made operative in New Zealand which would have the dual effect of keeping the motor industry going and at the same time giving the maximum help to the war effort of the United Kingdom, always bearing in mind the need for an adequate reserve stock in New Zealand for all national purposes.”