Motorists abuse petrol attendants

Press, 11 July 1979, Page 1

Motorists abuse petrol attendants

Service station attendants were abused yesterday by some motorists who were panicking to fill their tanks from Christchurch’s dwindling petrol supplies. No stocks of premium grade petrol were available last evening, other than for essential users. Other motorists were limited to regular petrol, which on yesterday’s trading would last until noon today. Wainoni Motors, Ltd, reported a normal week’s trading in the last two days. The panic turned to abuse at the Blue Star service station, which is restricting customers to $5 worth of regular petrol. The station expected supplies to last another two days. Supplies of diesel have run out at most stations, and kerosene is very scarce.

The executive officer of the Oil Industry Union of Employers (Mr S. Marshall) yesterday said he was disappointed that Christchurch oil-tanker drivers had joined the strike of general drivers. Christchurch was in a considerably worse position than the rest of the nation, he said. Blue Star taxis are rapidly running out of petrol supplies, says the company's manager (Mr K. J. Murphy). The taxis will be out of petrol by tonight “unless things change.” “We are getting to the bottom of the barrel,” he said. “We have had little petrol since last Thursday week.” The Blue Star 24-hour service station has been rationing petrol to the public, but under licensing laws it cannot cut off supplies if there is any left. Gold Band taxis are

better off. According to the secretary-manager of Gold Band Taxis (Mr I. D. Ward) enough fuel is at the Dallington station’s special taxi pump to last Gold Band taxis until the strike ends. The company was fortunate to have had 16,000 litres of petrol delivered on Monday morning.

Employee-drivers of both companies are on strike, as they are members of the Drivers’ Union. Mr Ward said that none of the drivers had been notified about the meeting to consider strike action. The company was getting legal advice he said. It had taken its case to the Taxi Proprietors’ Federation to take the matter up with the Drivers’ Federation.

Petrol supplies at most Christchurch rental car firms were low yesterday, but most were confident of lasting out the strike.