MILK-OH'S REVENGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 246, 17 October 1922, Page 3

MILK-OH'S REVENGE.

MELBOURNE IN TB/OTOBI.E. TAMPERING WITH SUPPLIES. (From Our Own Correspondent.! SYDNEY, October 11. Melltourne housekeepers arp having a mcriy battle to eecure their milk supplies, and recent developments have been ao serious ad to necessitate the police being called in. Some months ago the Housewives' Association, appalled at the unconeciouaable price of milk, devised a scheme for eupplving consumers nt reasonable rates. Aβ a" result many liouselioldi-rs were enabled to secure'milk at 5d a quart, whilst private dairvnten were selling at 7*d and 8d a quart. Har.l liit by the new competitor* many suburban vendors instituted reprisals.

In at least four cases t'bc drivers o\ milk carts have l>een openly assaulted while on their rounds, and many others have had to submit, to continual threats and unceasing abuse. An amazing feature of the business U the fact t!i»c many employees ot retail dairymen arc co-operating »itb their employers in this deplorable compaigu of intimidation. Another reprehensible practice which has been instituted in some of t he •suburbs is that of tampering with tilt, milk left by tiie distributer*. During the last week or *o. customers have made numerous complaints to the effect that the milk lefl has been found to he sour, or otherwise unlit for consumption. In several instances investigation-! have proved that dirt ha* been | dropped into milk leit on the dooratep. 11l others, a powder \\»* been ueed, with the object of souring the milk, ami more than on.-c vinegar lias been poured into the milk. Since the utmost c»r<has been taken to s-ee that the milk impure and fresh when delivered, it i« obvious that some iHißTUpuloUs persons have l-ecti :>t work, with the premclitated design of kiU'inn the housewives" scheme and leaving the field clear for retailers belonging to Hie milk combine. A few day? ago thirteen i|iiarU of milk was delivered at a suburban Ha 11 for a social jevening. There is proof that the milk 1 wa« absolutely fresh when delivered, but jan hour or so after it became sour, *u w jgestiug that it had been tampered with. ( With the object of putting an end to \ this startling atate ot affairs, a watch has l)een sel. and any perpetrators who nre caught are likely to be very severely dealt with. Anyone who tamper's with milk left on the dooreteps of 'householders lays him-iell ojhmi to very grave ehargee.