WELLINGTON BUREAU TO CONTROL SUPPLEMENTARY PETROL LICENSE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22582, 10 March 1948, Page 6

WELLINGTON BUREAU TO CONTROL SUPPLEMENTARY PETROL LICENSE

TRUCK operators in the Gisborne district have been dismayed by a new development in the handling of the petrol-economy measures recently introduced by the Government, which iec|uiies that all applications for supplementary licenses must he dealt with by a special bureau set up in ‘Wellington.

As almost every operator is likely to find it necessary to apply for additional petrol, over and above (lie basic allowance, the prospect of a serious tie-up at the central bureau seems imminent. Basic petrol allowances for operators in the transport industry have been fixed on a national basis, apparently without regard to differences in running conditions as between one district and another. The allocations are:—Town Carriers (operating in urban areas).-—BO gallons per month per vehicle authority. Country Carriers. — 120 gallons per month per vehicle authority. The inadequacy of the allocation for carriers in country work in this district already has been emphasised, and it has been estimated that a majority ol operators will exhaust their basic allocations in the first half of each month. No Allowance For Conditions Here

the discretion of officers with local knowledge. These officers knew exactly what work was being done on various haulage routes, and were consequently able to judge the necessities of the transport operators. Under the new centralised system the needs of the operators will be judged by officials in Wellington, without any local knowledge. This prospect is seriously disturbing the contractors of (he Gisborne district.

Information on the control system has been provided to operators bv the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance and the N.Z. Carriers’ Federation, which recently sent a joint deputation to interview the oil fuel controller.

The deputation put forward a proposal that branches of the two transport bodies guage the needs of their members and forward recommendations, but the controller had rejected this plan as tending to discourage economy Supplementary Allowances

In the fixing of the "basic" no allowance l.as been made lor the lack of alternative transportation in districts such as Gisborne, where long truck hauls are necessary lor country deliveries and the collection of produce. The fact that Gisborne is the centre of a large district with no intermediate points lor assembly of freights makes comparison with conditions in Taranaki or Canterbury, or even Ilawke s Bay, quite impossible. Most other districts have better rail service and road hauls can be shortened by use of rail stations for freight depots. How inadequate the basic allocation must prove in this district is shown by the cases of two cream-collection contractors, each using one truck and running with an eye to economy in cost. One of these contractors uses a average of 290 gallons per month and the other 350 gallons per month. Officers Without Local Knowledge

It had been decided that the system decided on by the Ministers, concerned would have to be applied during March. Provision was made for supplementary allowances over the basic quota if these could be justified by the applicants. Proof of necessity must be produced in respect of applications.

Such applications must be submitted to the district chief postmaster, who would forward them to Wellington for consideration In the event of additional petrol being needed urgently the application should be reinforced bv a telephone call to the central bureau in Wellington. Decisions on all applications wall be forwarded through district chief postmasters. Where appeals are lodged against the decisions of the general bureau, the only grounds on which they can be considered will be (a) evidence of inability of the appellant to earn a reasonable living, or (bl proof of inability to perform essential work,

While Hie voluntary-savings campaign was under way Ihe restrictions on sales of petrol was subject in some degree to