Kerosene has gone up to $7.50 per S-gallon tin because the closing of the native refineries. Refining cannot be done to advantage as long as the Customs collects $112.20 local cur-
Feney per ton.
Refiners submit that their kerosene must sell at $10 or above a tin retail to cover landed cost of crude all and the cost of refining. Standard Oil and Asiatic Petroleum kerosene are selling at about the same as the native companies are charging right now, and as their petroleum is of a higher grade, the Jocal refiners are at a big disadvantage.
While the high duty has been in the Customs tariff since 1934, its collection was postponed in Kwangtung. The Political Couneit, acted on the kero sene refiners petition and asked the Commissioner of Customs to refrain from collection. What the end of the controversy will be no one can prediet, but if the Customs remain adamant, it spells the ruination of the oil refining industry in South China.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.