NO ZONING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 304, 1 October 1940, Page 6

NO ZONING

MILK VENDORS’ DECISION. REVERSION TO FORMER DELIVERIES. SCHEME OPERATES ONLY 9 HOURS. A GILBERTTAN SITUATION. The milk-vendors of Ashburton have definitely refused to co-oper-ate in a milk-zoning scheme for the district. This Avas announced this afternoon. Five or six Aveeks ago the scheme Avas mooted, but given extremely little publicity, therefore the public had only awalcened to the significance of the move when it came into actual operation to-day. Milk-zoning in Ashburton lasted nine hours!

There are 12 milkmen in tho Borough, but by no means all were in entire favour of the proposition. One man told a “Guardian” reporter that he had made his full new round and had been turned doAvn by only three customers. At the start this man opposed the change but after one day’s experience of the idea, revised his opinion and now considers it quite Avorkable. He had visited his customers the previous day and found them Avilling to co-operate with him. , “Unworkable.” One of the leading vendors, on the other hand, said :—“My experience was that the public were not prepared to take my milk, as the hour of delivery Avas too late for them! This man has had a long association with his former customers and, to use his oAvn Avords, “The Avhole thing is umvorkable. It takes too long and is entirely unsatisfactory both to the seller and the consumer.”

BetAveen 10 and 11 a.m. the “Guardian” received several telephone calls from consumers complaining that up till a late hour their milk had not arrived. Moreover, the Borough Council offices were flooded Avith inquiries from irate milk-buyers Avho Avanted to know the reasons for late. or non-delivery. As the scheme has nothing Avhatever to do Avith the Borough Council, the civic authorities .naturally] disclaimed any responsibility. This Avas made plain by the ToAvn Clerk (Mr R. C. Major). The Next Step. Ono customer telephoned an official of the Milk Vendors of Ashburton, asking on Avhose authority the scheme Avas inaugurated. He received the reply that the idea originated Avith the Oil Fuel Controller (Mr G. L, Laurenson) whose desire it Avas that petrol should be conserved Avhere and whenever possible. It Avas pointed out to-day that there was no compulsion about zoning.

Inquiries made by the “Guardian” brought the information that if zoning is not carried out by the milkmen themselves, thero is a likelihood that the Government will step in and do the zoning through its own officials. The following is the official announcement of the vendors’ decision to dissociato themselves from tho zoning scheme

“AVe, the Milk Vendors of Ashburton, hereby notify the residents of the Borough and suburbs of Ashburton, that as we find it quite impossible to give a satisfactory delivei-y .service under the zoning scheme, we will revert to the former delivery service as from to-morrow- (AVednesday) morning, October 2, each vendor calling on his old customers as in the past.” *