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New Petrol Regulations in France.

3rd May 1917, Page 14
3rd May 1917
Page 14
Page 14, 3rd May 1917 — New Petrol Regulations in France.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Distribution of Petrol by System of Cards, Issued by the Authorities.

The new petrol card system just introduced in France will make no practical difference to commercialmotor owners. Motorists arc divided into twoOasses those who use their vehicles for utility purposes and those whose cars are employed for touring or pleasure. In Class 1 is included everything from the motor fire-engine to the little two-seater of the commercial traveller selling belting or oils to factories executing sub or sub-sub contracts for the Army. The list is too long to give in detail: even the midwife has not been overlooked. AU these persons racially recognized by Class I are entitled to as much petrol: as they can buy. The scheme, • however,, provides tor petrol cards, or rather petrol books with tear-out tickets in them. These are given out by the military authorities to every person who can justify that ..he .Comes. within the definition of Class 1 ; .no refiner or dealer is• allowed to sell petrol without the presentation .of one of these cards : The applicant states the quantity he requires ; if the amount 13 more than 11 'gailtins per day, the tickets will only. available for a period of 10 days ; • daily allowance of 4-1_ to H gallon, • he validity. of • the"tickets is catenated to. 20 days, and one month is the period

• if the daily amount is less than 4. gallonS.

A_ large number of autharities have power to issue petrol cards. Doctors must apply to an appointed medical official ; faCtories• 'working for the Army are dependent on the Forges. Department ; „those_ building aeroplanes ataily to the industrial section of the Army, etc. Agricultural tractors and agricultural stationary motors are well provided for, as are such industries as painting, rubberwork, dyeing.

Unlike the others, taxicab drivers are limited in the amount they can purchase. A two-cylinder taxicab -isallowed 2 .gallons-per day ; four-cylinder cab is entitled to 3-10. gallons.. This is practically the amount they ..vere able to se-cure from the big dealers. befOre the regulations came, into force, and is equivalent to• e2 miles run, rung. There is a•little dissatisfaction under this heading, Owing to the fact that many taxicabs are now running day and night, one driver taking the cab from . early morning until, afternoon, and the other from 4 to 5 p.m: until a, little -after midnight. As the allowance is per cab, and not per driver, this practice will be stopped. It is also stipulated that the number of cabs in service must not be any greater .• than that in force on the let. Mach of this .year. Drivers are also forbidden to go beyond the Seine and Oise departments ; this, however, is no hardship, .fer even in normal .times trips beyond these limits were exceptionally rare. Incidentally" it may be mentioned that Paris at the present time is much • better served with taxicabs than is London. Almost at A= hour of the day cabs can be found on stands on the boulevards and at stations: •• •Motor chars-L-bancs are placed in the same category as toil:ring 'cars, Llld as such are not entitled to more than 2* gallons of petrol each per day. This would put them entirely out of business, if there were any in busineSs, which is not the cake. A distinction is made between pleasure chars--banes and country motorbuses running a .service between towns or linking Up some town with the railwaY.., These latter

come into Class I. _

• There is nothing in the new regulations regarding petrol substitutes or paraffit,t.• -Substitutes are unknown in France, while admixtures of. paraffin have yet to be discovered. • Before the_ war the French-alternative was benzole, or in some cases a mixture of benzole and alcohol ; but as these have been monopolized by the Army for making explosives, petrol kas necalkarily hecome,the only fin.

Tags

Organisations: Army
Locations: Paris, London

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