WASTING PETROL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24723, 27 September 1941, Page 8

WASTING PETROL

GOVERNMENT VEHICLES MOTORISTS’ CONTENTION SUPERFLUOUS SERVICES (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 26. Waste of petrol by Government buses on regular routes and on special trips, and by the duplicating of routes provided with a reasonable express railway service, was alleged by Automobile Association representatives at the annual meeting of the South Island Motor Union to-day. The discussion arose when a remit from the Automobile Association (Otago) was considered. Other associations besides Otago had evidence of what was going on. said Mr P. F. Harre (Otago). He gave some examples, all of which were observed on one day recently, of a bus from Timaru being seen at Chertsey going south with no passengers, of a bus six miles south of Timaru bearing the destination “ Temuka ” but go - ing south, again with no passengers, two buses bound from Timaru* to Oaraaru carrying a total of eight passengers, and also of three buses bound from Oamaru to Dunedin with a total of 18 passengers in all three. Mr G. W. Ferens (Otago) said that accusations of political bias had been made. They were giving the Government “the low-down” on the feeling of the average commercial man. They were in favour of petrol rationing and satisfied of its necessity. What they were against was inequality of sacrifice.

Mr R. P. Furness (Marlborough) said his own experience coming from Blenheim was informative. Two private buses, which came all the way through to Christchurch, were full, but the Government’s own bus, which went only to the Hundalee railway terminal, was almost empty. The remit as amended was: “That in the interest of petrol economy the use of Government vehicles for special trips to places already served by existing railway and bus services should be prohibited while petrol rationing is necessary, and that in cases where Gov-ernment-owned vehicles are operating alongside railway lines where express trains offer a reasonable and comfortable service, such road services should be discontinued.”