MILK SUPPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 143, 19 June 1931, Page 5

MILK SUPPLY.

AUCKLAND PROBLEM. PRODUCERS COMBINING. CO-OPERATION APPROVED. TO OBVIATE OVERLAPPING. An important development in the movement to reorganise the supply of milk in Auckland and the suburbs took place to-day, when a fully representative meeting of farmers gave favourable consideration to a co-operative supply scheme. It Avas unanimously decided to ask the New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company to draw up a plan for bulk supply, to work in conjunction with the existing retail vendors. The object of the scheme is to bring clown delivery costs, to the benefit of both the farmer and the customer. Mr. W. W. Massey, M.P. for Hauraki, presided. He said the problem was an urgent' one in the public interest, as well as that of the producer. For years matters had been allowed to drift, until the farmers were not even on a fiftyfifty basis in receipts. With milk retailed at 5d a quart, and the producer receiving an average of less than 7d a gallon, the injustice was obvious. Producers were right up against it. The executive of their association had explored various avenues, but had found themselves up against a stone wall in each case, and it had become evident that the only solution of the' problem was to work in unity. "Time for Co-operation." The question had been referred to the Government, who had decided that it was a matter for the City Council to consider first. There did not appear to be much likelihood of the City Council taking definite action, even though they realised the existing difficulties. There was little likelihood of an improvement taking place in the present system—or lack of system —and the time had come for co-operative action. It was considered that the best way of getting something constructive put into action was to work in conjunction with the Co-operative Dairy Company, which had expressed its willingness to give the matter full consideration. "We are not antagonistic to the vendors," said Mr. Massey, "and we want to work in co-operation with them. Our one desire is to further a scheme for improving the wholesale supply." "Conditions Chaotic.' , Mr. C. J. Parlane, general manager of, the Co-operative Dairy Company, eaid it could not be denied that conditions were chaotic. The overlapping and waste that went on were against the best interests of the public, as well as being disastrous for the producer. It had been suggested that a city milk area should be laid out within a definite radius of the city. It would then be necessary to form a properly capitalised company of milk suppliers within that area. Then if what was known as the block system were adopted—a system on • somewhat similar lines to that which was workng so efficiently. in Wellington—the industry woull be put on a reasonable basis. Another scheme would be to organise a system for the supply of milk to the present retail vendors. It would simplify matters if retail vendors agreed to accept their wholesale supplies from a single distributing organisation. There would doubtless be difficulties to overcome, but there was no reason why they should not bo surmounted, and a workable scheme evolved. "No Desire to Exploit." Mr. Dynes Fulton, chairman of directors of the Co-operative Dairy Comparer, said there did not appear to be much likelihood of Government action. As a matter of fact, all that was needed from the Government was the necessary legal approval for the establishment of the subsidiary company. There was no desire on the part of the producers, or of his company, to exploit the consumers. At present the- producers were not getting a fair and reasonable price for their milk, and the system of retail supply was wasteful in the extreme. During a discussion which followed, one of the wholesale suppliers said it was overstating the case to say 7d a gallon was the average price' received. During some periods of the year only 3d a gallon was received, and this was certainly the average payment during 25 per cent of the year. Another supplier said that there was at present no proper system of inspection. A uniform and easily workable system could be established if a scheme as suggested was approved. Unanimous Support. Unanimous support was given to the proposal and signatures were attached to the following: "We, the undersigned producers of milk for Auckland town supply, desire that the management of the New Zealand Dairy Co-operative Association prepare a scheme to organise the marketing of wholesale milk by the formation of a subsidiary company, with the object of defining a milk area, and controlling seasonal supplies to the Auckland market."