PETROL ANOMOLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 8, 26 January 1942, Page 5

PETROL ANOMOLY

TRAVELLER GRANTED 60 GALS.

INDIGNATION IN OPOTIKI

Although a number of Opotiki businessmen in common with those of other districts have been hampered by the cutting-down and in some cases, total eutting-off of petrol allowances, there appears to be one man, a stranger to the district, who has almost unlimited licence to use petrol, says the Opotiki News. To the great annoyance and indignation of local businessmen who have felt the pinch of the petrol restrictions, this man, who hawks stock disease books to farmers, sports two cars which dash here and there: in the town with great abandon. To the greater annoyan'ce of local businessmen our travelling bookseller flashes a 60-gallon petrol licehes before their envious eyes with obvious satisfaction at their amazement. One loeal dealer, who relied largely on his car to sell his goods has noticed one of the cars travel 200 yards to an icecream shop and return. One of.the cars, a sports car, is reported to be in frequent use throughout the day on purely pleasure trips.

•The same businessman told a "News" representative, that the traveller entered the shop to make a purchase and stated that he had n<> home, always living in hotels. Th* 1 businessman remarked that the traveller Avas lucky to be in a position to move from one hotel to another and received the bland reply, "Oh well, Dan Sullivan knew I couldn't manage very well without a drop of petrol!" and flashed a license for GO gallons of petrol before the amazed businessman, who remarked that many salesmen were cm the rocks because their petrol licenses were cancelled. To this the traveller replied, "It's no use having friends in high places unless you can uso theml"

Although it must be very much doubted whether the Minister ol Supply, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, even knew anything of this special license, enquiries made reveal that such a license was certainly issued to this man, but who. was responsible for its issue, and why it was issued, should be the subpect of a special enquiry. It is certain that the license was net issued through the Opotiki Post Office and it is equals iy certain that when t/he attention of the proper authorities is drawn to this glaring anomaly the position will be speedily rectified. It would seem tli'at some departmental officer has blundered and the comm units is entitled to an explanation of why this man receives 60 gallons while other businessmen in Opotiki who were equally dependent on, petrol for their livelihood have been completely cut off.

Before this glaring case of excessive use of petrol the tale o:f the golfing Japanese consul pales. The people of Opotiki are rightly indignant that such an anomaly should exist and only the immediate sus-< pension of the license avill satisfy the public.

WHAKATANE TOO GLARIuNG LOCAL INSTANCES Opotiki is not alone in its dissatisfaction of the > method of petrol distribution and each day many questions are asked as to how some local motorists —and prominent residents too, —manage to drive around in cars when obviously their work is not essential and they co.uld and should walk. It is annoying to those who, are "doing their bit" by changing over to cycling or walking to see the glaring cases daily before their eyes. The questions asked are as to why some should drive each day t'o work •—and even use their cars to go to J their homes for lunch —and why others can obviously find a source of supply of petrol to continue visiting other towns. How is it done — and. more important why is it allowed? The fact that some people, who apparently have a licence for petrol for business purposes, use their cars for pleasure at the week-ends also rankles in the minds of those whose cars cannot be moved from their garages. Each week-end sees some business cars and light trucks departing foir the beach and other places. General opinion is that, while the petrol situation is such that pleasure running is barred, then no matter how petrol is obtained by the favoured or shrewd few, all and every pleasure car should be off the road. Some people it is known are using spirit other than petrol, but it is equally well known that this is not so in every case.

accounts AA'ill. be abolished, and all telephone accounts must be paid on a half-yearly basis.

Quarter-rate toll calls now provided betfcveen 10 p.m. and G a.m. arc to be discontinued, as are also "appointment" toll calls. The "Householder" -circular delivery service is suspended. The Minister said he appreciated that the curtailments would on occasions be a source 1 of some inconvenience to the public, and he wanted to make it clear that before it was decided to ask the public, by accepting reduced services, to relieve the Post. Office of some of its load, the Department had gone a long way in helping itself. Pr-oof of the Department's earnest desire fyo release as many men as possible was to be found in the fact that, of the Post Office men called up for overseas service with the Armed Forces, only a very small percentage had been appealed for and most of these were retained for work for the Armed Forces. Further, notwithstanding all the additional work that the war had brought to the Post Office —oil-fuel control, impressment of motor vehicles, payment of soldiers' allotment warrants, organising and carrying on National Savings—the Post Office was carrying on to-day with 1000 fewer officers than it had in its employ at the outbreak of Avar. Of this smaller staff, over 1500 Avere temporary women, who Avere employed in such A'arying capacities as post-women, clerical assistants, chauffeurs, lift attendants, mail-room sorters, machine printing telegraph operators, etc. Under the restricted sendees it Avoukl be possible to employ more women. Mr Webb Avent on to say till a t in vieAv of all these facts he Avas: sure the public Avould bear with the Post Office in this neAv step it had taken in meeting its emergency period difficulties, and he hoped that it would not be long before it would be possible to remove the restrictions. Full details of the changes as % they apply to any particular post office may be obtained from the Postmaster.