REDUCED PETROL ALLOCATION

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23413, 21 August 1941, Page 4

REDUCED PETROL ALLOCATION

Waimairi GounclFs Concern

REFERENCE TO MEMBERS’ TRANSPORT ALSO

, Reductions in the Waimairi County Council’s petrol, allocation are causing its councillors concern, At the council’s meeting last night a committee report of a 10 per cent, reduction and a recommendation that a sub-committee seek an increased allowance from the Oil Fuel Controller were adopted, and a suggestion at the meeting that councillors should' receive some petrol allowances to be able to attend meetings was also endorsed as a subject for the sub-committee's representations. The first reference to petrol was a note read by the county'clerk (Mr G. S. Cowper): “Cr. ,W. P. Spencer rang apologising for absence at to-night’s meeting. Unable to attend on account of petrol shortage.” The subjedt was again raised in the works committee’s report, which recommended that the chairman (Mr C. E. Cross), Cr. W. G. Chapman, and the clerk wait on the Oil Fuel Controller.

Cr, Chapman; It’s got to that way now that the grader has to be half the time off the road. So if anyone is squealing about the grader not .being on the road you can just tell them that we have not enough petrol. Referring to the total reduction from 800-odd to 600-odd gallons a month since “the peak time of the grader and trucks,” Cr. Chapman gaid that the foreman was a bit worried about what to do with his men when the grader or trucks were off the road.

On this point Cr. Chapman was authorised to see the secretary of the Painters’ Union about the men being put on to certain council painting work, “When you and I and Mr Cowper see the Oil Fuel Controller we can put it fairly strongly then,” Gr. Chapman added, “but it's getting serious, Mr Chairman. We cannot keep the rodds in prder without the petrol” Cr. L. V. Lawrence said he would ask whether there was any possibility, since councillors attended; at least two meetings a month, of each councillor who drove a car getting a gallon of petrol—not the council, but the councillors using cars, to pay for it. Cr. Lawrence agreed to the chairman’s suggestion that the question be left to the subcommittee. ... : •