EFFECT INSTANTANEOUS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20039, 11 September 1939, Page 2

EFFECT INSTANTANEOUS

lifting of petrol ban car TRAFFIC RESUMES OLD PARKING' TROUBLES The announcement on Saturday arternoon that the absolute baa on the suDoly of petrol to private motousts was being removed had an almost instantaneous effect, and. it- appears that traffic in the town had resumed normality on Saturday evening. Difficulty in securing parkffig sp-ice for cars in Gladstone road Saturday night appeared just as acinem.. ever. Each side of 'the road m the business area- after 8 p.m. was; acd with ears, and 1 motorists arnvmg after that'time had the utmost,diffir culty in securing parking space at polh-ts convenient for them. This was in direct contrast to the position on Friday ,night..;■ Car traffic eased off noticeably from. the first day the petrol ban on private ists was announced, and each day since then saw fewer cars on .the, road except on. Friday, when numbers of country people arrived m-town foi their end-of-the-week shopping.

Parking Space

The Friday crowds, however, were' much smaller than usual, and during the height of the shopping period on Friday night parking could have been secured in any of the business blocks In one of the busiest blocks, only two motor cars were seen at 8 o clock.

On Saturday morning, cars were again notably absent from the town, and sporting fixtures suffered from lack of patronage, motorists beng content to conserve their supplies until some more urgent occasion. However, when they heard that they would be allowed a maximum of 10 gallons a month, they figured that they would have enough for at least short trips into town, and those attending entertainments that evening followed their usual course of goingin the car.

Retention of Bicycles

To-day some of the business executives who had provided themselves with bicycles were able to take their cars out again, but they considered that they had better retain their bicycles and lise them as often as could,, because 10 gallons a month would not be sufficient for most to rtin. backwards and forwards between hofne and - business, without even reckoning ou anything for nights and week-end.?, -

For many private motorists, 10 gallons a month will be ample for normal requirements, but those who have been used to doing a great deal of running about, particularly those v/ith heavy cars, will find difficulty in keeping below the 10-gallon limit.