PETROL ISSUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24292, 5 June 1942, Page 4

PETROL ISSUE

PRIVATE CAE OUTLOOK LESS PLEASURE RUNNINQ (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday The Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, said this morning that he had not made any suggestion in his statement at the tyre meeting last Saturday that E.P.S. and other cars used for national service would be immobilised. The Minister criticised remarks made at a meeting of the executive of the South Island Motor Union last night. E.P.S. and other cars had to be used in an emergency, and they would be kept mobile, said Mr. Semple, who added that what he had said on Saturday was that in a few months there would be few cars used for pleasure running left on the roads. Reasons for Statement "I regard it as unfortunate that the Minister should have made his remarks in public shortly before the relicensing period that it appeared that within a few months not many private cars would be on the road," said the chairman, Mr. W. R. Carey, at tho Motor Union meeting, which endorsed the decision of the North Island Union to approach the Government to ascertain what supplies of oil fuel would be available for private motor vehicles, in the next few months. "The statement 1 made on Saturdav was clear, definite and specific, based upon the facts that I gave to the meeting that I could not and would not publish," said Mr. Semple today. "The statement was made in reply to an intelligent question put to me, namely: 'Did I think it a fair thing that the Government should impose restrictions and hardships on owners of commercial vehicles that were doing the nation's work, while hundreds of private motorists were running on the roads for pleasure?' My reply was that as I saw the position, there would be very few of these cars on the road in a few months' time, and 1 had all the reasons in the world for making that statement. No Tyres Available "Private motorists in this country will get no more tyres and will not even have the right to retread their tyres," added the Minister. "These measures have been agreed upon for the sole purpose of preserving tyres in the country for defence and for the carrying out of the country's business. "At present the maximum amount of petrol for private cars is two callous for big vehicles and one gallon for small cars. This will be reviewed at the end of the month and it is a moral certainty that they will get no more. The indications are they will get less, if they get any. I did not suggest that cars to be used for E.P.S. purnoses or for other national service would he immobilised. There is a lot of difference between those cars and cars used for pleasure." Mr. Semple concluded that E.P.S. and cars for other national service would be protected, as it was only natural to assume that they had to be used in case of emergency, and they would be kept mobile for that purpose. MOTORISTS' DILEMMA CLA RIFICATION NEEDED (0.C.) "WELLINGTON, Thursday "I believe that the motorists of the Dominion are 100 per cent behind the Government and are willing to cooperate to the fullest extent," said Mr. A. E. Batt, chairman of the Automobile Association (Wellington) at a council meeting. _ Referring to Mr. Semple's recent statement in Christchurch to the effect that there would not he many private cars on the road in a few months' time, Mr. Batt said that such a statement needed clarification. It sounded like a veiled threat and had more motorists nervous about registering their cars. In fact, 200,000 vehicle owners were left in the air, not knowing what to do. Many of them were now prone not to register and thereby leave their cars immobile, but if thev did this the cars would not be available for E.P.S. purposes. It was decided to endeavour to obtain a clarification of the Government's intentions. SUBSTITUTE OIL FUEL PROHIBITIONS ANNOUNCED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Thursday It is now an offence to use in a motor vehicle any fuel other than motor spirits, power kerosene, Diesel oil, benzol, producer gas or coal gas. This is the effect of amended Oil Fuel Emergency Regulations. Also, it is obligatory for any person holding a 44gallon oil drum with less than eight gallons of oil fuel in it to return the drum to the dealer who owns it. The Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, said the regulations are intended to assist the Government in its difficulties concerning oil fuel supplies. It had been found that through the widespread use of substitute fuels certain imported commodities, such as white spirit, were becoming short in supply for legitimate users. LICENSING LAWS WOMEN'S RESOLUTIONS (P.A.) MASTERTON, Thursday At a large meeting of women held in Masterton resolutions were passed urging the Government to reduce the alcoholic content of beer, to strictly enforce the licensing laws, to follow Australia's lead and reduce the manufacture of beer and other spirituous liquors by 33 1-3 per cent, to reduce the hours of sale of liquor by closing hotels on Saturday afternoon. FEW MARRIED OBJECTORS (0.C.) WELLINGTON. Thursday There have been fewer applications for exemption from military service on conscientious grounds by married men than there were by bachelors. This has been the experience in Wellington since call-ups of married men have been made. There is no official explanation for this but, it is stated, the obvious reason is that the fact of a man being married gives a greater sense of obligation than has been shown by many | single men.