MOTOR SPIRIT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1920, Page 9

MOTOR SPIRIT.

PRICE IN NEW ZEALAND. In the House of Representatives last week Mr T. M. Wilford, member for Hutt, referred to the Prime Minister the question of the high prices being charged at present in New Zealand for petrol, stating at the time that 'the price was 23' cents per gallon when he recently arrived in California and 25 cents (equal 'to Is) when he left. This statement has been questioned by the local representatives of American oil importers, and to a Times representative it was pointed out:—(1) That the maximum price for petrol in New Zealand has never been increased without the authority of the Board of Trade, and then only after its officers have investigated the actual postings; (2) that the sterling equivalent' of 25 cents to-day is Is 4d, not Is, as Mr Wilford is reported to have said; (3) that the American gallon is smaller than the Imperial gallon in use in this country by one-fifth, that is six American gallons are equal to five Imperial gallons; (4) that if the motor spirit quoted by Mr Wilford was obtainable for 25 cents, equal to Is 4d, then talcing into account the smaller measure of the American gallon, it should have been equal in price to at least Is 7d sterling per gallon; (5) that Mr Wilford may not be aware that the New Zealand market demands, and receives, a higher grade of motor spirit than that generally used in the United States; (8) that Mr Wilford, in his comparison of costs, takes no account of the charges and costs.of the i - 1 spirit represented by tins him. packing, insurance, shipping freig'.n, cxohanflt, pruaaxt, wharfage, oartßKo,

marketing, and leakage—one of* the heaviest items—and other overhead charges. Bult, 'before everything else, it is contended that Mr Wilford should have known that the Dominion Government, through the Board of Trade, does -".! -'"iH'tion the maximum price of moid, -pirit until it is thoroughly satisfied, after exhaustive 'investigation, that any ptici propound it fully justified,