Petrol short

Press, 10 January 1987, Page 1

Petrol short

PA Wellington Motorists are being urged to stick to their normal petrol buying patterns in spite of a temporary petrol shortage. An oil industry spokesman, Mr Kelley Griffiths, said yesterday there was enough petrol to last until the next overseas tanker visited on January 22, as long as people did not panic buy. “If people can act rationally, and avoid panic buying, we can get through this,” Mr Griffiths said. It was important to make sure people on holiday had access to enough petrol to get home. Mr Griffiths said there were particular shortages in some areas. He would hot name them for fear that it would lead to panic buying. Only one Christchurch service station last evening reported panic buy-

ing after the announcement of a petrol shortage. The owner of Bealey Auto Mart, Mr Murray Spackman, said motorists were “going to town” between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. yesterday at his service station. He estimated 300 transactions had been made in that time, about 100 more than usual, and noted people were filling up rather than “the usual $10.” But five pther stations around the city said patronage was either no different or only slightly up because of the shortage. “They have been filling up and making comment on it, but certainly not panic buying,” said a spokesman for the Fendalton Service Station. All stations said they had enough fuel to carry them through if motorists reacted normally. A tanker Is due on Wednesday at Lyttelton.