BETTER MILK

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 21, 24 July 1918, Page 8

BETTER MILK

CITY COUNCIL'S NEW

SCHEME

FUKTHEB.LIGHT ON THE REPORT

ViARIOUS.EOINTS EXPLAINED

The recommendations of the Special ,'lilk Committee, adopted by the City Jouncil last night as reported on page of this issue, have been freely discussd to-day,: and they are recognised as bnktituting'an honest attempt to en-ure'a-better r milk supply/,, Even those ?ho may oppose the scheme admit that he!'committee'.- ha?.,given: the subject a 'ery'exhaustive --investigation! The proipsed scheme, however, is one of con- . i^ra^|ej!mag'nifiude^.f'an(j most: people xk'refraining'fromVexpressing*ih opinion ; or'of against until they have had an pportunity of studying thoroughly the aridus suggestions which are made. Al- i hough the discussion at the City Counil yesterday was taken in committee, it ( 5 known that the report was very favoirably'.received by ; a big .majority of be ciouncillbrs, and was adopted without , ]te^|ion^j.,-It, I J3, understood .that there rere -only, 'three dissentient voices when ■ he, division was taken."' The committee esporisible:" for '' the ' report . comprised , loun'cillors--Norwood' (chairman), Benlett, Wright, Shorland, ■ M'Kenzie, juclde,"and 1 the 'Mayor (Mr. J. P. mke):. It is understood that the Mayor [id not. attend any .of the committee aeetings.i -. ■> •'.; •■■■' ■'■*■-■■' '■ . ' ' , ...WORKING IN, HARMONY. ; In-view; of the'fact 4hat the discussion ras.-.taken .in,.,committee,,.Councillor. Nor-cogdr-agreed-lo^explain some of the deails of the scheme-to a Post reporter, .nd; Jt'p' leJ,ab'prate';dthfer'.important phases, louncillor Norwood-stated that throughut 'the ■'■■-negotiations!•> tho-farmers, the ■eriaors,""the" Board v 'of.; Trade, and the National Efficiency Board had been taken nto the confidence of the committee, and or tlie first time all bodies '.Were in com-, ilete'^agreement .with the City Council. n its"endeavours to secured a .better .milk upplf if6"r*''the public., "generally^. All. tad-worked with that • one object in dew, and throughout, »the negotiations lad "been *dan>ied .'oM*'. "M" very friendly erms. which ultimately paved the way o an amicable settlement of the numerus''*lprisbleros""which."' faced the" council, t- was^very ■ gratifying-to the 1 committee hat that should be so, and it certainly .ligufed well for the general success of he scheme when it was put in proper forking order. The most important actor i:was. the interest of the,., farmers n the one, hand, and the vendors on the rther> :but<a complete understanding had ie%nSa|rri\-'ey™arw],tb;'',both.;T,. That was -ti.ft'igiEOrtdg^naing^oriie of ih^ most imK)ita.n^. of', vendors was tfw. .;eTiga.ged -; in' - working' oo.'it..' a scheme rWcKjTOjijl^,:Jaaj^rifll!.y:saiSi^; Jh* council a introducing the block system of deivery. It was also giving due consideralon to the proposed issue of coupons in fder.to ensure success in. that direction. " • MUST CO-OPERATE. "But if the scheme is to be a. complete uccess," stated Councillor--Norwood, "we aust\h~a.ve~.the "full, co-operation of the mblib,' 'Thfit is 1 essential.' Many houseiolders? will no doubt be reluctaht to >art with the milkman, who has supplied hem iij,",a,;jsa%factory.\manneT.i.for ; sevii;al yearsl' pa^t^nd [to jlo busiiless with, ai entirely fresh> man- without' tKe option, if dealuigTfrom'any6'ne'tblse'r"', i lt may be hat a vendor*' d'elivSrlng'Aihde'f 1 ' the coundl's scheme, has failed to give satis-, 'action.?..-..,Tiie>..cP!Uncil:..vvill, provide for nich. a contingency by ihe establishment ►f a complaint department, and the pub-: ip- can; rest assured ; that all; complaints vill; receive full and.! prompt; inyestigadpnan'd : the. .offender dealt with in such, i,-'manner'-as seems fitting. \:E very effort vill be made, to give as |§od a. service is;possiblfi,,and with.the., Vendors practi-' xvlly.,under i t^ie,, control., v of.,; the council' his should be '/possible.:■■■; Again, it is miicipat©d"thaS 'some 'will' be antagonv'the"'co\ipon''system.' ' This will )e ■introduced" for- the •■ sole -purpose of sponomy, and may perhaps lead to a rheapenirig of the milk.' We think that various economies can be. effected by ho, introduction r;of '.'the coupon, system md tlie; block system combined.. Tlie pnnenvill'eliminate bad debts and the atter will prevent duplication and will )e a. great money-saver and a greater fane'-saVer'.''""one/ vendor ,'told mo-,that inder"the"new system one'cart and two nen : would' bo ■able to distribute daily, L 50., gallons, 0f,,. milk, whereas, at the present, time, , one ..man and., one' cart lelivered a daily maximum of 60 gallons. [n 6their"wbrds the saving to the city, inder the proposed process of delivery yould;-be ,44 .carts and 45- men^-that lumber' less would need. to b© 'emjloyed.'.V. .., . THE POSHTON OF VENDORS. It was poinifced;pTjt to Councillor Norwood}/that -under the proposed scheme vendors wilt 'give' a security of. tenure for'Wb"years'''orily. Knowing that they were liable'to"be dispensed with at the jnd-uof that. period, was .it likely that they would loyally support the scheme?. "It is more than likely," said. Councillor Norwood in reply. ■ "It is' practically certain, ■b'eca\ise,"under the scheme they St-and-'tto—share the profits which the City,i Council -makes.; . The .council will buy, and soil the milk on a basis which makes a profit absolutely certain. From that profit it will deduct 2£ per -cent, as a,reserve, fund, and. for. the purpose of meeting-the preliminary expenses. That 2£ per .cent, is estimated to yield £10,000 per ahhuml' 'Tfoe'remaind.er of the profits will be divided proportionately among the .vendors for, -two years,, and Ithe. bigger., the., profits' the. bigger their share. Will it not bo. in their interests, therefore^ to'help the scheme along in every way. Wo'think"if will." THE NEAR SUPPLY/ '"It" will be noticed in the report which is' published elsewhere that ample pro- ] vision is made for, the treatment of milk which , comes from a distance —either from the Lower Wair&r&pa or the Manawatu.' "What about'the near supply from Makara, Karori, Mir3maf, and other such places? Councillor Nprwood, in answer to a question, stated that the whole of that milk must go to the central, or city, station before It could ho distributed. The committee had given that aspect of the question full consideration, and had come to a complete agreement with the suppliers. As to the central station, all the milk received there would be carefully tested' as to its "purity. 'Above all things, the milk disbributed would be guaranteed fit for human consumption. In the summer.time it was hoped that, by •speedingi up delivery of the milk from the farmers to the city, the process of *clarifvin^the;milk would be all that was necessary; and that the milk - could bo delivered in a,n unpasteuriaed, condition. If necessary the milk would be pasteurised.- • '>•' ■•> -A- ; SUNDAY SUPPLY; AND RAILWAY „ ;;,'„.;, ■;,;.; ; -| .CJu^t >t! the, present time citizens are ■■m<sre' :i"ihterested' itf the immediate im-;provement-;of^tije^milli supply;' which has eaused'iofri a, fiftle- '-dnsißiy.-.- Sunday Tflp*j!lyr'for""soiin'e'*msnlhs'"p'a6{7''has been very short. Although it will be some time before the new milk scheme can be 'brought' into' full operation, the committee is giving immediate consideration to the question .of improving tie. supply

at once. If necessary the committee is prepared to go .further afield than has been the practice hitherto, and will not hesitate to buy milk in Hawkes Bay or the Rangitikei districts, if that be necessary. I* will be the committee's endeavour, stated Councillor Norwood, to ensure a regular 6upply of milk, The

Sunday supply had been given much thought, and if properly managed the shortage should not bo nearly so pronounced as it is. The trouble was that tho vendors did not make due provision for Sunday. There was a tendency to supply on Saturday more than half the milk that was available for both Saturday and Sunday. In reply to another question in reference to the new scheme, Councillor Norwood stated that the Railway Department had not been approached in reference to improved facilities for the carriage of mill:: to Wellington, but the committee had reason to believe that the Department would do all in its power to give, satisfaction. THE PRICE OF MILK. Contrary to the general anticipation that for milk guaranteed pure the public would have to pay more, Councillor Norwood asserted positively that there would be no increase in the price under tho now scheme. That should be regarded by the public as very satisfactory., "The council is alive to the fact," stated Councillor Norwood in conclusion, "that difficulties will arise where poolpeople cannot, for various reasons, purchaso coupons which will be necessary to enfure a supply of milk. It must be understood that, so fair as the milk department is concerned, it must be run strictly on a commercial basis.. The council has power to supply the poor with milk free of charge, but if such a policy were decided upon we contend that'& must be qoite apart from the Jlilk Department... Perhaps it will be possible to come to some arrangement with tlie Hospital and Charitable Aid Board."