CARS BEING STOPPED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21183, 5 August 1940, Page 4

CARS BEING STOPPED

LONG DISTANCE JOURNEYS INQUIRIES ABOUT PETROL To ascertain the source of supply of petrol, highway inspectors of the Transport Department have been stopping on main highways cars that bear numbers suggesting they come from other districts, reports the Wanganui Herald. No official information is available, but as the Transport Department is not primarily interested in petrol, it is clear there is a close ITasion with the oil fuel control office to check abuses in the use of petrol. Further evidence of the interest in the movements of cars from long distances is that sometimes an inspector appears merely to note the number of a vehicle without calling upon the driver to stop. Motorists state that inspectors have demanded the production of ££trol licences, and all have questioned them on the possession of petrol coupons. No instances of confiscation of coupons is reported. Long journeys by cars are often made possible either by the gift of coupons from other motorists who do not need them or by borrowing one month’s coupons against those of another. Section 43 of the Oil Fuel Emergency Regulations reads: “Every person who, not being entitled to the possession of coupons in terms of these regulations, tenders a coupon to a vendor to obtain oil fuel, commits an offence against these regulations.” This section is very comprehensive, although it appears that the authorities are mostly concerned with trafficking in coupons. They are making close investigations into possible breaches of the conditions under which licences are granted, and a large number of prosecutions for alleged breaches of the regulations is said to be pending.