PETROL STRIKE STILL ON

Northern Advocate, 26 June 1937, Page 5

PETROL STRIKE STILL ON

Essential Services Supplied

rPer Press Association. Copyright AUCKLAND, This Day.

The petrol strike is, still on. Fears that essential services might be crippled as a result of the strike were allayed this morning by an announcement made by the secretary of the union, Mr Matthews; that arrangements had been made to ensure that such services should be supplied with fuel oil, including hospitals, ambulances, doctors and fire brigades, for whom permits are to be obtained for supplies. It was also intimated that other applications for petrol supplies would be considered *on their merits by the executive which is handling the dispute on behalf of the men.

The Australian Glass Company, which was threatened with the possibility of having to dismiss men if their furnaces were not fed withcrude oil, was given a supply last night, and the .St. John Ambulance stated this morning that it had also received petrol for the ambulances. • Reports to hand today state that some drivers ,in centres of the Auckland Province ceased work at 1 o’clock yesterday, but the majority continued to drive waggons Until 5 o’clock- The union secretary stated today that the country men were now supporting the city drivers: The rush for petrol supplies at city and suburban filling stations reached a peak this morning, and the storage tanks at a number of bowsers were reported to be empty. One of the largest stations in Auckland would have been out of supplies by 8 o’clock had not strict rationing been enforced. Even then the station expected to have to turn customers away by noon. At some stations, however, inquiries were answered with “Everything’s O.K. here. There’s a heavy demand, but we are giving what they ask for.” In spite of this,, it was realised that, should the dispute continue, the running “dry” of other stations would mean increased pressure on those whose supplies were holding out,. resulting in an acute shortage early next week. i

“Greediness of certain motorists had helped to run supplies short for others,” declared the manager of the station this morning, and he forsaw drystorage tanks by noon. Orderly Picketing.

“I don’t think there has been a more orderly system of picketing than ours,” said one of the men this morning. “The manager of one firm called the police yesterday, but that was just panic. We are fully determined not to use physical force. What we are doing is to stand at the gates leading to the stores and point out the errors of his ways to anyone who. is inclined to handle petrol supplies, and direct to his notice that such supplies have been declared ‘black.’ The police yesterday realised the situation and left. There have been no special precautions taken against picketing, and just how much the firms fear violence on the part of the men is illustrated by the fact that in only one case was an extra watchman put on.” Rickets at the various stores at Freeman’s Bay last evening had an uncomfortable time owing to heavy rain. They remained at their posts until a late hour, and took up their stations at daylight this morning. « '