SAVING PETROL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 August 1940, Page 4

SAVING PETROL

MEASURES IN MASTERTON ZONING AND RESTRICTIONS. DECREASED CONSUMPTION LAST MONTH. Some results are now being shown in Masterton of measures instituted to conserve the consumption of petrol. Although the final figures are not yet available a comparison with returns that have come to hand indicates that there will be a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in the quantity of petrol sold in Masterton last month compared with the total of June or earlier months. A. considerable saving has been effected by the zoning of milk deliveries, which, as this system only started this month, is not reflected in the last month's returns. It has been found not so easy as it may appear to zone bakers, butchers or grocers, and in the meantime petrol supplies to these traders have been drastically cut, so as to eliminate unnecessary running in delivery. Householders are now required to place their orders at certain times for delivery on the next or the same day and this in itself is proving a factor of some importance in saving petrol. Butchers and others who formerly had more than one delivery per day are now confined to a single round, while other traders deliver heavy goods perhaps twice a week only. An increasing use is being made of bicycles for delivery purposes and this, of course, is most desirable where it is practicable. There is some possibility of zoning being introduced for district carrying services. Although a substantial reduction in the use of petrol has been made in many directions, this has been offset to some extent by additional quantities demanded by the farming community to ensure increased production. Farmers of the Wairarapa and elsewhere are making a special effort to produce the additional cheese, bacon, meat, wool and cereals required to meet the Empire war effort and this necessarily involves a greater consumption of petrol for the ploughing and cultivation of additional agricultural areas.