PETROL WANTED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24817, 17 January 1942, Page 6

PETROL WANTED

NEEDS OF E.P.S. CARS KEEPING VEHICLES READY (Special) AUCKLAND, Jan. 16. Following a discussion in committee at a council meeting of the Automobile Association (Auckland), concerning the supply and distribution of petrol, in regard to which concern has been expressed, the president. Mr F. G. Farrell, stated that representations were being made to the appropriate authorities on several measures which it was considered would be helpful in conserving emergency stocks, and at the same time releasing sufficient supplies of petrol to keep a large and essential fleet of private and business motor vehicles mobile and ready to meet any sudden emergency. Grave concern was being felt by members of the association who had volunteered their vehicles for use by the Emergency Precautions Service Organisation. “ There is not the slightest doubt.” Mr Farrell said. “ that any section of the E.P.S. which is dependent on transport by private motor cars will be rendered largely ineffective unless immediate steps are taken to keep cars in running order and the batteries fully charged to ensure prompt A report submitted to the meeting by the secretary, Mr G. V/. Hutchison. indicated that six members of the association’s staff had been detailed to make a regular inspection of some 250 E.P.S. cars whose owners had already asked for this service. In the opinion of the association, however, Mr Farrell said, the only completely effective way of ensuring mobility of impressed cars was to furnish each driver with a minimum quantity of petrol a month in order that the efficiency of his car might be maintained.

Several members of the council stated that the daily appearance of heavy military vehicles doing light transport jobs was creating adverse comment by the public. Mr Farrell said that care must be taken that nothing was done which would hamper the efficiency of the fighting forces, but he admitted that car owners had expressed the opinion to him that greater discrimination in the use of heavy transport army vehicles would effect a considerable saving in petrol. ‘‘This petrol.” said Mr Farrell, “ would go a long way toward supplying E.P.S. vehicles with the one coupon a month which is considered essential in the interests of national safety to maintain the mobility of a sufficiently large fleet of emergency motor vehicles.”