REDUCED TYRE QUOTA

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 December 1946, Page 6

REDUCED TYRE QUOTA

LITTLE IMPROVEMENT THIS MONTH POSITION STILL ACUTE “There has been very little increase at all for this month and I am afraid that a big proportion of those motorists who have applied for new tyres will have to remain unsatisfied,” said the Chief Postmaster at Greymouth, Mr. F. Mairs, this afternoon. He was referring to the severe cuts during the past two months in the tyre quota for the West Coast, these having followed a sudden and unexpected deterioration in the tyre supply position throughout New Zealand.

These big reductions following the improved position about four months ago come as a blow to the hundreds of motorists who were looking forward to the complete removal of controls on the issue of tyres and tubes in time to enable poorlyequipped cars to undertake Christmas motoring tours. Instead of this expected concession they have returned to the standard which existed during the years of war.

Mr. Mairs added that there had been a slight increase in the quota for the district as far as some sizes were concerned, but even with this improvement the position was still far below that of several months ago. “In most sizes, however, the quota is just as small as before, and, from what I understand, it will not be any easier for quite a time,” he continued.

The supply of inner tubes is still poor, according to the postmaster, and in some sizes there are none at all available. The reason for this is obscure, but it has been reported that when the Dominion’s ’quota of tyres was ordered the agent overlooked the matter of tubes, with the result that tyres were available while tubes to go with them were practically unprocurable.

More serious than the effect on motorists planning a holiday tour this Christmas is that on the West Coast transport industry, which may experience difficulty next year if the position does not improve.