PETROL PUMPS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18636, 10 March 1926, Page 8

PETROL PUMPS.

MINISTER FAVOURS THEM. GREATER SAFETY. QUESTION FOR LOCAL BODIES. (SPJSCIAI. TO "THS FBBSS.") WELLINGTON, March 9. The controversy proceeding in various parts of the Dominion on the question of whether petrol pumps should bo allowed on the kerbside of streets was referred to in an interview with the Minister, fo r Internal Affairs, the Hon. K. P. Bollard, this evening. The Minister, whilst making.it clear that the question was primarily for local bodies to decide,, showed that the Department in charge of explosives, did not unfavourably view the kerbsido pumps and quoted reasons for its attitude. "The central authority," romarked Mr Bollard, '' controlling the administration of the Act for tlie storage of petrol, is the explosives branch of the Department of Internal Affairs. The local authorities have, of course, tho right to prohibit kerbside pumps fof petrol if they consider it desirable and I have no wish to interfere with the powers they exercise. I am anxious, however, that a decision on this matter should not be come to until all the facts of the case are considered, and any assistance the Department can give towards a solution of the matter will be willingly given." j The objections to the kerbside petrol pump were touched on by the Minister. "Despite statements made to the contrary in the Press,'' continued Mr Bollard, "and it will be understood that I am not in any way attempting to dictate to local authorities whait they should do in the matter, it is a fact the kerbside pump is in general use in. other countries. It is permitted in suitable places in the United States, in Great Britain, and Australia, but it is, of course, restricted to situations where it will' not unduly interfere with traffic. Chief Objections. "The principal objections taken t* the pump locally appear to be: I "(1) That it will cause traffic congestien. This is, of course, a matter to be considered by the traffic authorities in each place, but I would point out J that'the greater the number of pumps, the less congestion there will'be at any one point; The number of pumps allowed at individual garages, might well be considered with reference to the street frontage of the garage. The placing of the pump inside the building does not remove the_ congestion in the street. "(2) That, the pump forms an obstruction on the footpath. To a certain extent this is the case, but the ' obstruction is not greater than that offered by the moveable tripod now in common use for filling the tanks of motor-cars with petrol from tins. "(3) That kerbside trading is generally objectionable in cities, and should not be encouraged. The universal demand for a highly inflammahle liquid surely warrants special facilities for ! its supply and delivery by pipe line, I though the pump is certainly safer than the present practice of carrying tins across the footpath and emptying the petrol into the tank of a motorcar at the kerb. "In a report to me, the Department views with some disquiet the suggestion that the batteries of petrol pumps should be placed inside the garages. The filling of a tank of a car displaces a corresponding amount of petrol vapour and the same quantity of vapour is also displaced from the visible containers of most types of pumps in use in New Zealand. The total vapour given off is, therefore, twice the number of gallons of petrol delivered. There is some hazard from this vapour expelled into an enclosed space, whereas, in the open air it is rapidly dissipated and is negligible as a danger factor. Petrol In Bulk. "It is stated that the position in New Zealand prior to the introduction of petrol in bulk was. that only a small percentage of the total petrol consumed was sold through the pump installations, certainly not more than 10 per cent. The reasons. for this were that there was no advantage in price, and there was no guarantee as to the quality of the petrol supplied through the pump. "The introduction of bulk petrol," said the Minister, "has entirely altered the position. It is the experience of other countries that, when the petrol consumption reaches the point at which bulk distribution can profitably be undertaken, it is possible to effect considerable economies in the transport storage and delivery of the commodity, and it is therefore possible to sell bulk potfol at a lower rate than in cases and tins. It may, with some confidence, be assumed that, at any rate as far as the cities and larger towns are concerned, the quantity.,of petrol sold through the pumps will rapidly increase until the Bales of cased petrol are only a small perdentage of the total. "In New Zealand the practice has been for the petrol pump services to be entirely in the hands of the,garage proprietors and other resellers of petrol, and from tho contracts recently made by the oil companies for the installation of pumps it is evidently their intention to continue this method of distribution. There are probably factors of convenience and economy in this method - of working, and it is the position which must be considered by local authorities." Tank Storage. The Minister had something to say concerning the tank storage of petrol. The Department, he said, has consistently advocated the adoption of underground tank storage of petrol wherever possible, particularly in town areas. This method not only renders storage of petrol at the garage safer, but the greater economy and convenience of the pump service largely eliminates the storage of petrol in private garages and under unsafe conditions. When the Act was first circulated to local authorities it was suggested that underground tank storage might be encouraged by the provision of a lower 'scale of license fee, and the local authorities concerned practically all agreed to this provision in their by-laws.-The Minister expressed the hope that i local authorities would take the matI ters he had stressed on behalf of the I Explosive Department into consideration when discussing the facilities to be permitted for petrol supply, and would regard the matter not on the basis of present conditions, but on probable future requirements The Depart meat's officers had carefully .studied the trade in 'all its divisions in other countries, and would be pleased to give any assistance possible to tho controlling local authorities.