SINCERITY DOUBTED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21206, 31 August 1940, Page 9

SINCERITY DOUBTED

GOVERNMENT AND PETROL DOLLAR EXCHANGE ISSUE (By Telegraph.—Press Association) AUCKLAND, Friday Criticism of the Government for the petrol restrictions was expressed by Mr J. H. Edmundson in moving the adoption of the annual report at the North Island Motor Union Conference, and the criticism was echoed by many other speakers. Mr Edmundson said "toe time had come when the Government “could take a terrible amount of lead” from motorists by petrol restrictions. “We do not believe they are sincere in their action,” he declared, “and I think we should tell them so.” The conference decided to take action with a view to having petrol allowances increased. The dollar exchange was a confused issue, said Mr C. R. Edmond, of Wellington, president of the Motor Traders’ Federation. New Zealand imported 69 per cent, of its petrol from the Netherlands East Indies, which had joined the sterling bloc, and some authorities held that sterling instead of dollar payment, could j bo made in future. This belief was “definitely discounted” when com - xnunicated by the Government to the High Commissioner in London, but it had not been asserted, Mr Edmond ©aid, that the statement was not true. He thought it needed further elucidation.