MOST SERIOUS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 43, 19 August 1942, Page 3

MOST SERIOUS

SHORTAGE OF TYRES

IMPORTANCE OF GOOD DRIVING

A considerable curtailment of all road transport services to meet the serious shortage of stocks of tyres and rubber was forecast by the No. 2 Licensing Authority, Mr. J. P. Skoglund, at a special sitting in the Arbitration Court today. The rubber position, as he understood it, was "fairly desperate," and he hoped that operators themselves would suggest means of curtailing their activities. One means by which, in his opinion, tyres could be conserved was by the retention of efficient drivers in civil employment. . , Mr. Skoglund said he had been asked to draw the attention of all operators -, to a memorandum stating the importance of maintaining motor vehicles in good mechanical condition as a means of conserving tyres. Strict attention should be paid to the remedying of steering out of alignment, incorrect adjustment of brakes, fierce clutches, wheel spinning, and faulty springing. Reference was made also in the notes supplied to the. need for correct inflation, which as an economy measure should be kept at 15 per cent, above the normal, but never higher; the avoidance of sudden and hard operation, spinning of wheels by sharp acceleration, running of tyres into the kerb, and oil and heat on ty/es. Further points were that attention shoulQ be given to the removal of foreign matter and the repair of cuts, the removal and examination of. covers periodically, clearing of wheel runs, removal of rust, etc.; the change-round of tyres about every 3000 miles, bringing the spare into use; jacking up of vehicles if standing for more than two weeks; avoidance of overloading; ana slow speeds on bad roads. MEN WHO SAVE RUBBER. 'ißut in my opinion the most valuable ingredient of the medicine we have to take is not mentioned m these notes.* That is the employment-of efficient drivers," said Mr. Skoglund. >"A very large number.of the more efficient drivers have been called up, and personally I feel that some attempt should be .made to keep, these men in civil employment, because, no matter what may be done to restrict mileage, an inefficient driver will do more damage to tyres than an efficient driver-win do in three times the distance. I,am hoping that something will be done to assist to conserve rubber .by .the retention of efficient drivers Hi civil en> tjjoyiiient." . Confidential facts and: figures of tyre stocks in New Zealand were placed before the authority and the operators present by Mr. N. ;C./ Angus, representing the Transport . Department. The position, he said, was "serious, pressing, and immediate" and the Department asked operators to show a generous spirit in assisting the authorities to meet it. _ "Such matters as personal convenience and even personal equity will have to be surrendered in view of the crisis in the rubber 'position/ he concluded. , /.: ■ . ' ~ , Mr. Skoglund then.heard individual applications, stating that he did not intend -to make decisions known at the moment, but would consider the position as a whole-and make individual decisions in the light of the general conclusions. The greater part