Drive To Save Petrol

Northern Advocate, 2 September 1947, Page 6

Drive To Save Petrol

(PA.) WELLINGTON. This Day. All Government departments had been requested by the acting Prime Minister (Mr Nash) to curtail their petrol consumption by one-third as their contribution to the drive to save cohsumption. This was revealed today by the Minister of Supply (Mr Nordmeyer) after receiving a deputation representing many motoring and transport interests to discuss the petrol situation. After discussions. Mr Nordmeyer said those present still believed that necessary petrol savings could be achieved on a voluntary basis. “Motorists have the matter in theii own hands,” said the Minister. “If they make voluntary reductions now they will avoid the inconvenience of petrol rationing later. "None wants to revert to the coupon system.” All present had agreed that voluntary savings should be tested for a period and the cooperation of all interests represented had been promised. The Minister said a disquieting fact was the phenomenal run on bowser stations caused by panic buying dining recent weeks. Whereas the normal weekly consumption was about 2,000,000 gallons, the figures for the past three weeks had been 2,541.000, 3.112,000 and 2,545.000 respectively. This obviously would not continue, as the phenomenal draw-off represented partly a demand for the filling of containers and this form of consumption would diminish in future.