More Petrol Needed For Work In County

Northern Advocate, 9 February 1940, Page 6

More Petrol Needed For Work In County

As adequate petrol is necessary to carry on the work of the Whangarei County Council, representations are to be made to the controller for greater quantities than those for which licence has been granted. Reporting to the council at its monthly meeting today the engineer (Mr J. Norris) said that the application for petrol had been granted in full, except for the county car, which had been restricted to 30 gallons a month, half of the quantity applied for. Application for a special licence for the extra 30 gallons had been made, and was due for consideration immediately. The traffic inspector had given valuable assistance in engineering work wherever possibel to fit in with his set duties and the car running had been arranged to suit both purposes wherever possible. Further Amount YVa.nted “In cases where a supply is necessary to the efficient conduct of the work in the county, it should be made available.” said Councillor F. Elliott. In the Hflcurangi riding, the surfacemen had been granted a licence for only four gallons, and he asked that the council should make representations for a further six gallons so that necessary work could be caaried out. Although he was not prepared to specifically name them, Councillor Elliott maintained licences which were not as important had been granted. “It seems that the controller regards a car or motorcycle as a luxury, but it is as important for the engineer to look over the roads regularly as it is to use graders,” contended Councillor T. N. Blake. Although this statement might seem wrong, he believed that the supervision of x'oads by the engineer prevented unnecessary running of road machinery. Return to Horse The same thing applied to the inspector and surfacemen, who were all doing necessary work. Councillor Blake moved that the chairman (Mr J. A. S. Mac Kay) and the engineer should make representations to the controller for the securing of an adequate supply of petrol. The chairman: If a surfaceman is going to be limited to four gallons, the council will have no other alternative than to dispense with his services. Councillor Elliott: I will have no alternative—unless I buy him a horse. The chairman: Then he would spend his 40 hours a week on horseback. The motion was carried.