ZONING IN SOUTH ISLAND

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23752, 25 September 1942, Page 6

ZONING IN SOUTH ISLAND

“GOING ONLY HALF-WAY”

RESERVE OF VEHICLES NECESSARY

By impressions he had gained since his appointment as South Island Zoning Officer, he was convinced that zoning was going only half-way, said Mr T. H. Langford when addressing members of the Ashburton Zoning Committee yesterday. • Mr Langford added that it was absolutely necessary to build up a stock of vehicles, and large numbers of vehicles could be put aside to form that reserve. Deliveries, such as those made by grocers, could be done by transport firms, and this would release many vehicles which could • be called on by the transport firms when their own vehicles were worn out. Even if the war lasted only another six months, firms would be faced with transport difficulties, said Mr Langford. Since milk zoning was introduced at Ashburton, a saving of 146 gallons of petrol monthly had been made, said Mr C. Ward, oil fuel control officer at Ashburton. There were eight milkmen using H, vehicles, and the greater part of the petrol was used in bringing supplies to the town. Nothing had been done to alter grocers’ deliveries, beyond proposals made to the zoning committee. Mr E. H. Orr said that combined grocery deliveries had*been considered, but it had been realised that no saving could be made in petrol and tyres by that method. Mr Langford asked Mr Orr to confer with the Ashburton Goods Transport Control Committee about a combined delivery by Ashburton transport firms.

The grocers would support a combined delivery scheme if this gave satisfactory service, said Mr Orr. If costs could be reduced there would certainly be a saving in petrol and tyres. The coal merchants’ scheme to obtain orders beforehand and deliver when full loads could be taken to one area, had broken down, and other steps would have to be taken, said Mr Ward. He suggested that the scheme be gazetted so that it would have to be strictly adhered to.