RESTRICTIONS LIFTED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 46, 4 December 1939, Page 4

RESTRICTIONS LIFTED.

INCREASED SALES OF PETROL.

DEMAND FOR THE WEEK-END. Largely-increased sales of petrol at Ashburton over the week-end followed the lifting of the restrictions on the purchase of motor fuel after midnight on Thursday.

Resellers of petrol stated to-day that their sales had gone up a great deal in the last three days, many motorists who have been able to make only short trips without going to a great deal of trouble to get extra supply, buying good quantities to take them on trips during the week-end, while others bought just for the pleasure of being able to run about town without disturbing thoughts of bow the engine was eating up fuel that would be difficult to replace. “You would not believe the difference there has been over the week-end,” said one seller of petrol. “There was a big jump in the sales; in fact it was tremendous ns far as we are concerned. The amount we sold on Saturday and yesterday was 200 per cent, above the amount for the previous week-end. Some people came in for petrol just for the pleasure of buying it after being restricted to small amounts.”

“The sales are not back to normal, even now,” said another seller. “They are still more than 50 per cent, down on this time last year, but December is going to be a great month. Now tiltrestrictions are off, people are going to places without paving to tell us where they are going, and petrol will be in heavy demand.”