MOTORISTS' DILEMMA

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 167, 17 July 1942, Page 6

MOTORISTS' DILEMMA

CHAR SUPPLY SHORTAGE POSITION IX THE SOUTH (0.C.) DUNEDIN, this day. One of the most noticeable features of motor transport since the restrictions on petrol came into force has been the increasing use of gas producing plants on vehicles, but a new difficulty has now arisen.

The position at present is that as more vehicles are being fitted with these units the supply of char, which is the substitute for petrol as fuel, is becoming a greater problem. The result is that instead of being kept off the road by a shortage of petrol many vehicles cannot be used because of a shortage of char. Owners who thought that the expense of installing producer plants was justified are. therefore, finding themselves with vehicles equipped with effective units but are not a great deal better off in the running of them. The problem has arisen from the fact that char, which is a by-product of coal, has been available only from a large plant in the Waikato and a smaller one in Southland. A proposal that it should be manufactured in Dunedin was considered a few weeks ago by the gas committee of the City Council and rejected as impracticable because of the shortage of labour of the required type and the rationing of coke.