Regulated Closing Hours For Petrol Stations

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19106, 29 August 1936, Page 9

Regulated Closing Hours For Petrol Stations

J7OR some time there had been a feeling among petrol resellers I lull the hours during- which service stations were open to the public required putting on a. sounder basis,

stated a recent; bulletin of the Xew Zealand Petrol Resellers’ Association. There was no doubt that the. hours of service could be cut down considerably without interfering with the requirements of the public, and, at the same time, effect; quite a saving to individual resellers.

The chief difficulty appeared to bo the fear on the part of station proprietors of offending customers, who, through neglect bad not obtained sufficient petrol during the day to carry them over 1 lie evening. It was imagined that, if the service was not given, these customers would be enticed away to other stations. In many cases the business done after S p.m. would not pay for the electric light, and much less the wages of the attendants on duty.

Experience in New South Wales. It was interesting to note that Ihc same question had been exercising the minds of service station proprietors in Australia and a ballot ol: Sydney stations was recently held by the Xew South Wales Service Station Proprietors Protection Association. The result was that 92 per cent, of the voters favoured closing at 8 p.m., or earlier during week days, SO per cent a half-day on Sundays and holidays, and 91 per cent no trading at all on Christmas Day. Amendments had boon made to the legislation affecting service stations and the Xew South Wales’ Association was approaching the Government to see what could be done to bring about earlier closing in Sydney.

Both Anzac Day and Good Friday were compulsory holidays in ictoria, although a great deal of opposition was raised at; first. .The retail motor dealers now reported that the supposed inconvenience of the motorist, through closing on these two days hid been proved a myth and had shown clearly the necessity for more regulated trading hours. The association had approached tho Government asking for regulated hours.

Progress in Southland. In New Zealand the Southland Petrol Resellers’ Association, reported the bulletin, had made decided progress in connection with closing hours and last year, by mutual agreement, resellers in Invercargill .adopted the following closing hours: —Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, -.Saturday, and Sunday, close at 9;p.m.; Friday, close at 10.30 p.rn. Later the hours'were still further reduced to be: Week-days, except Fridays, close at S p.m.; Fridays, close at 10.30 p.m.; Sundays, close at 5 p.m.

These new schedules were advertised in the local,papers and, while there were some cases of inconvenience at first, the motoring public soon adapted itself to the position. Provision was made for cases where any of; the public were absolutely stuck. This arrangement was so much appreciated that last month the .scheme .had been carried a stage further, and the hours again had been reduced.

To enable this, an emergency station had been opened and .it was operated by a syndicate working in conjunction with the association. The -following hours were now.being observed: — Ordinary stations.—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday, S n.m. lo 0 p.m. Emergency station.—-0 p.m. to S'.p.m. Ordinary .stations, —(Friday, S a.m. to 9.30 p.m. Emergency station. —Not open. Ordinary stations. —Sunday, 9 run. to 1 p.m. Emergency station. —1 p.m. to 5 p.m. From the results to date il v.os likely that the hours of the emergency station would be reduced ns Ihe motoring public was becoming educated tn buy early and keep their tanks filled. Ollier districts were interested in the same question and some attempt had been made 1o regulate the hours without success on account of lack of co-operation, and mistrust among resellers.