PETROL SUPPLIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26692, 11 February 1948, Page 6

PETROL SUPPLIES

NEED FOR EXTRA QUOTA REQUIREMENTS OF CENTENNIAL VISITORS “ The position in Dunedin is not bad—it is desperate, especially for visitors," said one member when the question of petrol supplies came under discussion at the monthly meeting of the Executive Committee of the Automobile Association, Otago, last evening. Another member expressed the opinion that if something was not done, there would be centennial visitors stranded all round the city. An outline of the negotiations which the association had conducted in an endeavour to obtain an increased quota for Otago during the centennial months was given by the chairman, Mr G. W. Ferens. The Centennial Association had been asked to make representations to the oil fuel controller to this end, he said, but that association had replied that it considered the matter outside its jurisdiction. “I am frankly amazed at the Centennial Association not appreciating the position,’’ said Mr Ferens.

Subsequently, the Mayor had conferred with a representative of the Automobile Association and of the Retail Motor Traders’ Federation, and agreement on the seriousness of the position had been reached. The Mayor had written to the oil fuel controller, and additional letters had been sent by the Automobile Association, but “ not even the courtesy of an answer ” had been received. The Mayor had gone to Wellington this week and would take the matter up personally with the controller. Mr Ferens expressed an opinion that other centres were fully aware of the justification for Dunedin receiving an additional quota at this time, and he stated that he had found in discussions with members of the trade from other centres that any such additional allocation would not be a cause for jealousy elsewhere. It was obvious that the petrol would not be used in the other centres if the motorists were in Dunedin, and he felt that Otago had an excellent case to back up its request Visitors were not going to come to Dunedin if they were afraid of being stranded through lack of petrol supplies, he said; Other associations had been cautioned to advise their members to keep their tanks topped up while travelling to Dunedin. If petrol could be made available for about 100 planes attending the air pageant—a figure of 50,000 gallons was suggested—it would seem that extra petrol could be made available for visiting motorists. Admittedly, said Mr W. J. Mclnnes, aviation spirit would be of no use for cars, but it still had to be shipped in, paid for, and replaced on the same basis. The usage by speed boats was also questioned.