"WILL NOT TAKE IT"

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1940, Page 8

"WILL NOT TAKE IT"

By Telegraph—Press Association.

slur upon patr10ti5m MOTOR UNION'S ATTITUDE

Christchurch, Sept. 28. "The finger of patriotism has been pointed at us and we are not going to take it," said Mr. W. R. Carey, president of the South Island Motor Union, when discussing the agitation for easing the petrol restrictions at a meeting of the union. "You can analyse the record of any Minister of the Crown and comi pare it with that of members of this union," he said. "We stand in favourable comparison and we will not take it." The meeting heartily endorsed Mr. Carey's attitude. The union had before it the latest letter from the Minister for Finance, tlie Hon. W. Nash, in reply to a telegram advising him that it was currently reported that he had said that the sale of petrol would require to be rationed or controlled even if the war had not eome. Mr. Nasli's Comments. Mr. Nash's reply received yesterday morning was; "While it is not possible to determine now what would have happened in connection with the import of petrol had not war broken out, it is likely, to the extent that it may have been necessary to utilise our sterling resources on the import selection policy that preference would have been given to medical requirements and raw mate- ' rials for primary and secondary industry, that some licences would have been curtailed a.nd, to the extent that petrol is used for luxury purposes, it may have been necessary to limit the sum which would have been available for its purchase overseas." Mr. Carey said he wanted to know how Sir Harry Batterbee, United Kingdom High Commissioner, was brought into the argument. Mr. C. R. Edmond (president of the Motor Trades Association): He came in. "Well, he was not very convincing," commented Mr. Carey. He added that he had asked two bankers how the restrictions on petrol conserved the dollar exchange and they were unable to assist him. "The morale of the people Is being undermined and there are murmurings from one end of the country to the other, said Mr. F. W. Johnston (Christchurch). "The Government is doing the work of a thousand fifth columnists. The radio from London is buttressing us up and asking us not to be pessimistic, but the Government here by the restrictions which to any free-minded tribunal are incomprehensible, is undermining morale. Its petrol policy has been vacillating and inconsistent, and it is now appealing on patriotic grounds."