‘200,000 will be exempt’

Press, 8 June 1979, Page 4

‘200,000 will be exempt’

PA Wellington At least 200,000 motorists would be exempted from the carless-days scheme if it was implemented, the Labour M.P. for New Lynn (Mr J. L. Hunt), has said in Parliament

He based his figure on comments by the Chief Postmaster at Auckland (Mr D. R. Froggat), that 18 per cent of motorists who had so far relicensed their cars had been issued with an exemption sticker. Mr Hunt said that thousands of persons would be “ripping-off other motorists because there would be inadequate checks on claims for exemption. He asked how many twocar families would have the same earless day for each car. The scheme should not be introduced because the Government had not proved Its need.

Mr Hunt was speaking during a debate on private members’ notices of motion. His motion asked the Government to reconsider the earless-days scheme. The Under-Secretary for Energy (Mr Brill), said that the exemption granted under the scheme was a very limited one. Motorists with exemption stickers would be allowed to use their cars only for specific purposes. The scheme was to a large

extent dependent on people’s honesty. “We accept that,” said Mr Brill. But Labour members had “the typical socialist suspicion that if the Government is not watching individuals all the time people will rip off the system.” Mr Brill said that port stocks of petrol amounted on average to 15 days supply. But this could be reduced through industrial disputes or tankers not arriving on time.

Mr Brill said later that port stocks had been about 25 days supply before the Iranian crisis earlier this year. Total stocks of motor gasoline and diesel fuel at present were about 53 days supply.