PANIC TALK ABOUT SHORTAGE

Grey River Argus, 30 January 1948, Page 7

PANIC TALK ABOUT SHORTAGE

(Special to “Argus”]. WELLINGTON. Jan 29.

“Although some resellers might have sold their quotas of petrol on New Year's Eve, there were hundreds of gallons left unsold when individual petrol station readings were taken at the end of December,” said Mr J. E. Peach, at a meeting ot the council of the Hawke's Bay Automobile Association this after noon.

Mr Peach, who is president of the council and also a petrol reseller, said: “The panic talk about petrol is dangerous and unnecessary.” He maintained that queuing for petrol was caused by motorists having to give particulars on the emer gency register. “As all garages, service-stations and emergency stations are on a quota, nothing can be gained by the motorists having to sign a register,’he said. The only result was delay to customers.

“It is also quite unnecessary.” said Mr Peach, “to have a traffic inspector stationed at a service stat'on.or garage during emergency hours. This is no more required than is a ooliceman in grocery shops to watch supnlies of butter, tea and sugar, and ft onlv leaves a bad impression or* the motoring public and places the traffic inspector in an invidious position.”