Petrol shortage likely for at least a week

Press, 29 September 1979, Page 1

Petrol shortage likely for at least a week

Petrol supplies were very low in many Christchurch service stations yesterday afternoon, and likely to remain low for at least another week.

Most garages reported that their supplies of super grade petrol were exhausted. while others only had enough to cover the bottom of the tank.

Regular grade was still about, but it too was scarce and many garages estimated the stocks would be exhausted by last night.

Yesterday’s sales were not marked by Wednesday’s panic buying when the petrol tanker drivers announced their snap decision to strike.

“People did their usual Friday rush on Wednesday,” said the president of the Canterbury Motor Trade Association (Mr P. Buist).

“ft was the biggest case of panic buying I think I have seen,” he said. Christchurch motorists flocked to the pumps when the drivers’ strike was announced. and several service station proprietors said that had the panic not occured, petrol stocks would have lasted well into next week. The secretary of the Canterbury Drivers’ Union (Mr P. R. Liggett) will recommend to the 150 striking drivers that they return to work on Monday.

Mr Liggett met in Well

ington yesterday afternoon with the Oil Industry Union of Employers executive officer (Mr I. Marshall). The two parties had agreed in principle to a compulsory conference and a tentative date and chairman had been proposed, said Mr Marshall. The details are still subject to confirmation by the Minister of Labour (Mr Bolger) but it is believed the conference will begin in Christchurch next week. Mr Marshall said his members were disappointed with the attitude of the drivers who ignored the union recommendation to return to work on Thursday, after the employers had agreed to set up the compulsory conference. The drivers had demanded a conference to discuss grievances with the employers. “I hope we can accept Mr Liggett’s assurances that the drivers will return to work on Monday, on the basis that he is their elected representative,” said Mr Marshall.

Mr Liggett could not be reached for comment yesterday, but a Drivers’ Union organiser in Christchurch (Mr D. Adams) said the union could not dictate to the drivers as to whether they should go on strike or return to work.

The meeting on Thursday morning, at which the drivers ignored the union recommendation to return to work after the employers had agreed to set up the conference, had decided to continue the strike by a large niajority, said Mr Adams.

Another meeting is planned for Monday at 7.30 a.m.

Even if the drivers did return to work on Monday morning, it would take at least a week for petrol stocks to return to normal, said Mr Buist.

“We don’t know if they will continue their go-slow or work to rule if they go back on Monday. They may decide to run around dribbling out petrol to service stations all over the city,” said Mr Buist.