Vlad rush on petrol

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33455, 9 February 1974, Page 14

Vlad rush on petrol

“I've hardly got time to talk to you” was a common reply from service stations yesterday to telephone inquiries about petrol sales. From noon today until 7 a.m, on Monday the i public will not be able to I buy petrol, as part of the | Government’s fuel-saving i regulations. I “It’s ridiculous. People are (buying enough petrol to last them a week just to get them through the week-end,” (.said one attendant. “Give it three or four weeks and (things will be back to norimal.” Several attendants predicted a quiet time early .next week with motorists j finding they had not used as 'much petrol as they exipected. The proprietor of a ■ Bryndwr service station said I he had three men on. He had had only a 30-minute [break all day and at 5 p.m. (there were 10 cars lined up 'waiting for petrol. | “They're just going mad. It’s ridiculous.” Supplies of petrol arc said

>| to be adequate to meet the i demand. ! One service station in ’iChristchurch, the Blue Star ’(Taxis depot in Moorhouse ;(Avenue, will be open to sell ■petrol to those exempted (from the regulations. Those exempted are ambu-

lance, fire and police services, traffic officers, medical practitioners, ministers of religion, passenger transport vehicles, rural mail contractors, Post Office services, veterinarians, district nurses, some Ministry of Works staff, and drivers of vehicles carrying food, livestock or milk. People confronted with ai genuine emergency will be' able to buy petrol, after getting written authority from the police. A police spokesman said [yesterday that running out of petrol would not constitute an emergency. People ■living in Christchurch wish-' :ing to obtain an emergency I permit should call at Central (Police Station where their case would be considered. (Persons out of Christchurch [should apply to their local [police station. END OF AN ERA The week-end ban on pet-’ irol sales will cause the :After Hours Service Station! (in Latimer Square to close! I for the first time since it! was opened 20 years ago. [ . The proprietor (Mr P. R. (Knight) said the station had ] been open every hour of [every dav for the 20 years land there was no way of (closing the place off at] [present. He said staff would! [be kept on until a fence was I built.