SAVING TIRES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 August 1942, Page 2

SAVING TIRES

TRANSPORT SERVICES UNDER REVIEW FURTHER CUT NECESSARY. SITTING OF NO. 2 AUTHORITY IN MASTERTON. Goods and passenger service licences in the Wairarapa are at present under review by the No. 2 Transport Authority, Mr J. P. Skoglund, with a view to effecting savings in tires. A sitting of the Authority was held in Masterton yesterday afternoon. Mr Skoglund said the sitting was being held with a view to making certain restrictions in order to conserve rubber particularly. He hoped licensees had given the matter some thought, and had some helpful suggestions to make, as it would make his task easier. He did not want to take drastic action. He looked to receiving the assistance of licensees in order to make the restrictions possible. The secretary, Mr B. J. Flynn, read a statement on behalf of the Transport Department, detailing the position jn regard to rubber supplies. News from the United States indicated that nd rubber would be available for civilian use for at least three years and existing stocks would be used for the armed forces. There was only a comparatively small stock of commercial tires in New Zealand and great difficulty would be experienced in getting additional supplies. It was proposed to reduce services by. 25 per cent in regular time-table mileage, and to discontinue running for sports or pleasure. Mr Skoglund said he would reserve his decisions in all cases coming up for review until he gave further consideration to them when he returned to Wellington. A further adjournment was granted in the case of an application for a taxi service licence by H. C. Peterson, Greytown. An application by D. P. Fouhy, Marima, for an amendment of his goods service licence was opposed by Pahiatua operators, on whose behalf Mr J. Macfarlane Laing appeared. Mr Skoglund said under present circumstances it would be foolish to issue fresh vehicle authorities. He pointed out that district committees were being set up to control transport and it would be their duty to see that transport was carried out by the most economical means possible. Attached to these committees were three persons appointed by the minister, representing farmers, meat exporters and auctioneers. Those committees would decide what stock should be carried. Probably, in the coming season a lot of stock which had been carried in the past would have to be hoofed. If that were done, it would take away a lot of the work from the licenced carriers.