£25 Fines for Mixing Paraffin with Petrol
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STATED to have rendered themselves liable to a Customs penalty of 4306 5s., Messrs. Carswell's Parcel Express, and Mr. Percy Herbert Ashley, Davenport Street, Macclesfield, were summoned at Macclesfield Police Court, last week, on a charge of mixing petrol with paraffin for use in delivery vans.
Prosecuting for the Customs and Excise, Mr. M. G. Whittome said that petrol was liable to a duty of 9d, per gallon. On paraffin and similar heavy oils, which could be used for cleaning, heating, lighting and industrial purposes, there was a rebate of 8d. Paraffin could not be used as a road-vehicle fuel unless the rebate had been repaid and then only under licence.
In a statement, Mr. Ashley, who was manager of the Macclesfield depot of the company, explained that owing to petrol rationing he had experienced difficulty in maintaining the daily delivery service. In all, he had purchased 150 gallons of paraffin, and he estimated that about 100 gallons had been mixed with the petrol, and the remainder was used for washing down, etc. When he started mixing burning oil with petrol he was not aware that he was committing an offence.
Defendants had purchased ibout 1,300 gallons of petrol, and, assuming that they had mixed 100 gallons of paraffin it gave a total of 1,400 gallons and the treble duty ;amounted to £306 5s.
For defendants, who pleaded guilty, Mr. C. M. W. Elliott explained that they acted in ignorance. If the prosecution thought that everyone who carried on a haulage business was familiar with all laws relating to road vehicles, they took a rather optimistic view. The firm were ignorant of the fact that petrol and paraffin were being mixed. The manager was a faithful servant and when he found himself in difficulties owing to petrol restrictions, he used limited quantities of oil.
Defendants were each fined 425.