SALES OF PETROL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27241, 18 November 1949, Page 8

SALES OF PETROL

SATURDAY MORNING OPENING STRONG WISH EXPRESSED BY MOTORISTS PA WELLINGTON, Nov. 17. Objection to assisting petrol resellers on the point of having petrol coupons made available over the whole holiday period, unless the resellers were prepared to co-operate with motorists by opening their bowsers on Saturday mornings, as is now permitted, was expressed by members at to-day’s meeting of the council of the North Island Motor Union. It was pointed out, however, that there was a valid objection to the situation which was causing concern to motorists: Motorists' were already accumulating petrol for the holiday period by using old tins, billies, and other unsatisfactory containers. Seeking the union’s support for wider availability of November and December petrol coupons, the delegates of the Petrol Resellers’ Association said this could be obviated if the November and December coupons were available in January and February. He said that the limited availability of coupons over the holiday period resulted last year in one motorist leaving on a trip with his last spare gallon in his wife’s mixing bowl. Replying to Mr J. E. Peach (Napier), he said his request was from the Wellington branch of the Petrol Resellers’ Association, but resellers throughout the country felt the same about the problem Mr Peach said the resellers were not so worried about tins or coupons, but about the hours of service.

The meeting decided to ask the Government to make the November coupons available in December and January, and the December coupons in January and February. In the interests of country people, who could not get away in January and February, it was also decided to ask that holiday coupons at double the face value be made available in one or two winter months.