FEWER ROAD SERVICES

Grey River Argus, 31 July 1940, Page 9

FEWER ROAD SERVICES

■ TO SAVE PETROL Between Coast and Nelson CHRISTCHURCH, July 30. The curtailment of road transport services in the area between Nelson and the West Coast will be effected through a number of decisions of the No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr T. H. Langfoi-d), announced yesterday. The reasons are that in some cases the routes are served by the railways, and in others that they are served by existing arrangements. The services of Transport Nelson, Ltd., from Inangahua southward, have been suspended. Goods for Westport will now be taken from Inangahua by another service, and goods for other southern points will go by rail. Two services in areas where other transport is available, have been suspended for the duration of the war, and one licence was revoked as being unnecessary. Two more have been transferred to the Railway Department. Negotiations are proceeding between the Railways Department and Newman Bros, concerning the taking over of the road service between Christchurch and Blenheim. No state--1 ment can be made at present, but it is expected that an agreement will be reached shortly, according to the Assistant-General • Manager of Railways (Mr J. Sawers), who was questioned on the subject yesterday. NORTH CANTERBURY APPEALS. CHRISTCHURCH, July 30. Appeals have been made to the Minister for Transport (the Hon. R«. Semple) by several transport firms in North Canterbury, who were recently ordered by the No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr T H. Langford) to merge their services into the already existing Transport (North Canterbury), Ltd The decision of the authority represented the first compulsory merger of firms directed in New Zealand. All the firms concerned protested, but it was ruled that the step was required in the national interest, ensuring complete rationalisation of transport in the area, adequate preparation for emergency, and conservation of petrol. The merger will remain in force for the duration of the war and 12 months after, when the licences may then be reviewed on request. Up to yesterday morning no reply to the appeals had been received from the Minister, but as the merger is operative from August 1, his decisions are expected shortly.

RAILWAY ECONOMIES. 310,000 GALLONS SAVED. CHRISTCHURCH, July 30. “The Railways Department is a large operator of railway goods services throughout New Zealand, and it has done everything that would result in petrol economies, leading to the saving of 310,000 gallons a year, ’ said Mr J. Sawers, assistant GeneralManager of Railways. Mr .Sawers said that many of the ’buses operated by the Department were diesel ’buses using crude oil. and that the Department was conducting experiments in the use of producer gas plants. Already two ’buses in Napier were covering 170 miles a day each on producer gas. The use of such equipment was being expanded. The road services provided facilities for many people who could not be served by the trains, Mr Sawers said, as they served centres at which the trains did not stop, and in. many cases the road routes deviated from, the railway course. It was to bs remembered that these services were largely used by people who did not possess motor-cars, and that requests nad been received for their extension. WELLINGTON STATION HOURS. WELLINGTON, July 29. A proposal for regulating the hours of attendance at petrol stations in Wellington city and suburban areas was adopted by a substantial majority vote at a well-attended meeting tonight of the Wellington Petrol Resellers’ Association. It was the larger meeting of petrol resellers yet he’d in Wellington, and lasted two hours ano a-half. It was emphasised that regulated hours for the sale of oil fuel were necessary because of the decreased sales resulting from the war-time petrol restrictions. The hours of attendance suggested' were: —Monda.. s to Thursdays 7.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays, 7.30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays, 7.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays, closed all day. The proposal makes provision lor one emergency station being open all night in the Wellington city area, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, and Tawa Flat. All other stations would observe the hours specified. The scheme adopted to be submitted to petrol resellers in the form of a requisition, and after the required number of signatures has been obtained, the requisition will be submitted to the Department of Labour for the Minister's approval, after whica it would become operative.