EMERGENCY SALE OF MOTOR SPIRIT

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5322, 7 February 1947, Page 5

EMERGENCY SALE OF MOTOR SPIRIT

^ NEW ROSTER SYSTEM - dissatisfaction at trade's decision. The final draft scheme for a roster system which will ensure that two service stations will be open after hours on week-days and for "a -stipulated period over the week-end, was approved at a meeting of the Rotorua Motor Trades Association on Wednes,day night. Although the final resolution was by no means unanimous, it was decided that the proposed scheme should be forwarded to the North Island Motor Union for approval. The proposed hours are: Monday to Friday 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays: Noon to 8 p.m. Sundays: 8 arm.^to 6 p.m. It was decided that the roster should be printed and displayed hy every petrol retailer in the town, -in order that any .motorist, may, within the hours s.tipulated, be served with emergency fuel. 'It was also decided that emergency cases would also. he supplied after these hours if the c'ircumstances warranted the sale. The stations on the roster for' that period wo-nld be responsible, and the motorist would- advise them by telephone. These , facts were given to the "Morning Post" which was excluded from the meeting 0n Wednesday, by the secretary of the association, Mr. A. H. Dukeson, yesterday morning. Dissatisfaction Expressed, Dissatisfaction at the way in which the Press were debarred from reporting the meeting on Wednesday was expressed by Mr. C. Shorter, of Auckland, o.wnei1 of a Rotorua service station. Mr. Shorter said that the motion for the institution of the roster was earried by such a small majority that it couid not he deemed as represeptative of the feeling- of the Rotorua motor trade.

In a statement yesterday, Mr. Shorter • said that t^e matter of the petrol selling service to motorists in Rotoruathad long been a bone of contention among members of the trade. The Government, he said, did not interfere unduly in the dispensing of emergency motor fuel, providing the law was complied with — the manner in which the fuel was dispensed was a matter for internal agreement. There had been, he said, considerable controversy ever since his decision to remain open on Saturdays and Sundays. Other members of the association had decided that they did not wish to remain open and neither did they Avish any other station to remain open. "I feel that this is an entirely unreasonable attitude to adopt," (said Mr. Shorter^ "In Auckland city, six service stations are open each weekend entirely of their ovvru volition and ir.dependent of rosters. The Auckland brnach of the Motor Trades Association is not in the least concerned about the matter, and if any firm wishes to remain open it is at liberty to do so. Swall Mandate Regarding t'he meeting on Wednesday night, Mr. Shorter said that the motion for the roster system was earried by nine votes to seven, a small enough mandate. The fact remained that seven motor spirit retailers in Rotorua wished to remain open at week-ends and he did not see any reason why they should not be allowed to 'do so. "The future development of Rotorua depends on the service that is rendered to the touring public," concluded Mr. Shorter. "Sir Ernest Davis and others have stressed the need for a greater development of Rotorua's tourist facilities. How can these even be started when a motorist has to tour about unknown streets seeking petroT? Why should he have to run round the streets when seven out of the 16 retailers in the town wish t'o render that service irrespective of whether it is uneconomical or whether it is not? if a service station is willing to remain open within t'he legal hours of emergency petrol sale, then there is no reason why it should not be allowed to do so. "I do not intend to let ihe .matter rest here, and I will communicate with the N.I.M.U. and the Auckland headquarters of the Motor Trades Association, and in stating the minority case, attempt to get a ruling." ,