CONSERVING PETROL

Evening Star, Issue 23620, 5 July 1940, Page 6

CONSERVING PETROL

STEP BY MILK VENDORS ZONING SUPPLY SYSTEM LOOMING UP GOVERNMENT DELEGATE TO DISCUSS THE matter’ With the object of aiding the campaign for greater war time economy, through the avoidance of overlapping services and wastage of petrol and oil, the zoning system of delivery of milk may be introduced * into Dunedin. Already consideration to proposals to effect such a system has been accorded iby the Milk Vendors’ Association, and approval has been expressed in a general sense, inasmuch as the fulT requirements of any scheme are not yet known. Officials of*the association stated this morning that a discussion on the full operations of milk supply zoning will take place next Wednesday .evening, when members of the association are to confer with a representative of the Government. , Zoning has already been introduced in the north, and\ the results have been most satisfactory, considerable quantities of petrol having been saved. Local milk vendors have realised for some time that some such steps would doubtless become necessary here, and, indeed, quite a number of suggestions have been put forward, but it was also realised that Government backing would be necessary before any steps could be taken. Without that, the association felt it could not introduce revolutionary steps in the meantime, however great the.,.cause. The reaction, of the public, for one thing, had to be considered, because zoning would mean that customers used to one milkman might suddenly find themselves being supplied by another. They would have to accept thb vendor allotted to their particular zone. It was not thought, however, that there would be any real objection at the present juncture, when every person was expected to do everything possible to conserve vital petrol supplies. Another aspect of zoning was that there would almost certainly be a reduction in the number of vendors operating, but this might be no more serious an aspect than that vendors who had previously supplied customers direct from the* farm, would in future become suppliers to the operating vendors. Generally, these were considered minor matters, and that once the system was introduced, it would be found tney would dovetail to everyone’s satisfaction. . At the same time no definite mdications of the nature of conditions in regard to the system can be given. The Government representative will make these quite clear on Wednesday next. One thing is quite certain, every vendor —large or small, company or individual —will he incorporated. An .earlier suggestion on the part of milkman was that a sharp saving of petrol could be mad© by reverting to horses. However, several problems arose which made this idea easier of suggestion than of putting into practice, and one of the problems was the obtaining of suitable horses, over and above which were the questions of purchasing gear, feed, and of getting horses shod. ALL-ROUND CO-OPERATION. These steps to reduce the consumption of petrol are not being taken solely by the milk vendors. To advise and assist the local oil fuel' controller in his "work of decreasing petrol consumption by business concerns, a representative* from each of the butchers, grocers, merchants, motor dealers, garage proprietors, and wood and coal merchants’ associations will be co-opted to form a special committee to work with him. This.committee will also include a representative of the milk vendors. The purpose of the committee will be the drawing 'up of measures which will ensure the organisation of each section in order to give the best possible public service, while wastage of labour and petrol will be cut to the minimum. Bakers do not come under this heading, as their petrol supplies are controlled by the Transport Department under a Dominion-wide scheme.