PETROL FOR E.P.S.

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 47, 25 February 1942, Page 6

PETROL FOR E.P.S.

SIMPLE ARRANGEMENT

SUPPLIES IN EMERGENCY

The method, by which petrol will be supplied to drivers of E.P.S. cars and trucks during emergency has been simplified and placed upon a readily workable basis.

Under this new system all that, will be required of the E.P.S. driver is to place his signature and car number against the quantity of petrol drawn. As emergency coupons throughout New Zealand are the same and are without local identification, it wilL be necessary for the purposes of check for the local body to endorse the. coupons suitably. . The emergency coupons have already been issued to section leaders, and arrangements have been made for city traffic officers to go round, and endorse them and to withdraw the .triplicate . and duplicate record books which were to be used under the original scheme. The emergency coupons are not negotiable until the alarm is sounded. They will remain negotiable until such time as the chairman of the E.P.S. advises the local Oil Fuel Controller that the need for the issue of petrol to any or all of the sections of the E.P.S. has ceased. This may be some hours or even days after the sounding of the "all clear" by sirens indicating that the attack itself hat, ceased. SEALED CAN SUPPLY. The Controller of Transport for the City E.P.S. (Mr. L. S. Drake) stated today that the first emergency supply of fuel (two gallons in sealed can) had been issued to a good many E.P.S. car owners and drivers, but others were lax and had not taken steps to obtain the sealed cans from the Tramway Department's store, Cable Street, on production of the proper written authority, held by all such drivers. The procedure to be followed is this: Drivers should produce their "intention to use" notices at the City Traffic Office, and would, then be issued with official stickers; with these authorities they could obtain the sealed supply at the tramway "stores.1 . ■ Such sealed supplies are to be used only in case of actual emergency, to allow vehicles to report at posts and to carry them to points where additional supplies^ are obtainable, under the system described above/ MANY MORE CARS STILL NEEDED. Mr. Drake said that the appeal for an additional 1000 cars for the communications section of the E.P.S. was not yet nearly filled, but offers of cars were still being made. A number of those who were offering their cars were, however, already members of the E.P.S. in some other capacity, and all who were in such a position should nominate a substitute driver.

While there were restrictions upon types of vehicle in several other sections of the E.P.S., said Mr. Drake, there was practically no restriction upon types useful for communication and evacuation. •