THE PRICE OF MILK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 115, 14 May 1908, Page 6

THE PRICE OF MILK.

SUPPLIERS IN CONFERENCE. HIGHER RATES FIXED. At Otahuhu last evening considerably over 100 dairy farmers and milk suppliers met in conference to discuss matters of importance affecting the industry. Mr. Isaac Gray, chairman of the" Aucklgfid Wholesale Milk Suppliers' Association, occupied the chair. Questions of general interest were discussed, but the principal business of the meeting centred round the price of milk. General dissatisfaction was expressed with the present contract system, whereby the vendors paid 7d per gallon for milk during the period extending from September Ist to March Ist, and 8d per gallon from March Ist to August 31st. After a very lengthy discussion, it was decided that fresh contracts should be entered into only on a re-arrangement of prices, and the following scale was fixed: From September to January 7d per gallon j January to April, 8d per gallon, and from April to September, 9d. per gallon. It' was further resolved that should the Auckland vendors increase the price above 4d. per quart, the suppliers should receive 50 per cent of the increase.

Other important resolutions were passed, including a motion in favour of the sale of milk by weight. The new Government dairy regulations were discussed at length, and a resolution was passed to the effect that certain clauses were regarded as unreasonable, unnecessary, and impracticable. A committee was appointed to wait on Mr. Duncan, of the Agricultural Department, and lay this matter before him. The new regulation, making a 3.25 per cent butter fat test in milk imperative, was also discussed, and generally referred to as being a standard impossible to attain all the year round. IS A RISE JUSTIFIED? One of the members of a firm closely identified with the retail milk business in Auckland, when approached by a "Star" representative on the subject of how the new standard of prices will affect the consumers, said it simply meant that the public would have to pay more for its milk. "The suppliers are getting a very fair price at present," said the gentleman in question, "and I do not think they are justified in asking for any increase. When paid 7d. per gallon for one half of the year, and Sd for the other, they are left a very fair margin of profit. A misapprehension exists as to the profits made by the vendors. It is impossible, at the present rate of wages, and other expenses, for us to retail the milk in small quantities at less than 4d. By paying Bd. per gallon, and retailing at 4d. per quart, there is not a vendor who makes more than a profit of a half-penny per gallon. The suppliers have easily the best of it. During the early part of the year they suffered a momentary check, as a result of the dry spell, but that has been compensated for twice over by the luxuriant growth of winter feed which has since appeared, and makes the prospects, fro i the suppliers' point of view, particularly bright."