CITY'S MILK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 167, 16 July 1936, Page 10

CITY'S MILK.

WORK OF COUNCIL. 9 * ! ? ■■■' ___ AMENDMENTS SOUGHT. CHAIRMAN'S EXPLANATION. "I think we may accept it as a fact that milk control in the Auckland milk district will continue," stated Mr. G. W. Hutchison, chairman of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council, in an address delivered to-day at. a luncheon meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. '"On the last occasion that a proposal was moved in Parliament to repeal the Act only two members voted in favour of repeal, and it may or may not be significant that this indication by them of laggiijg behind modern thought was followed by the loss of their seats in Parliament." ,

Outlining the purposes of the council, Mr. Hutchison-s. ; id that the organisation estabfished was of an exceptionally high standard. As to the difficulties which had to be overcome, it was sufficient "to 1 say that ample- evidence had- been submitted to Parliament that the milk was in a chaotic state at the time tlj!? council came into office. Uneconomic cdifditions had been rampant, and many people in the industry were in danger of2bankruptey.

"Trading under such conditions and J . . -. h quite inadequate inspection and _ trol, it can well be imagined that the eopsumer, though he may have been gating milk at a low price, was receiviiJg no protection in regard to purity or quality, which was a serious position because there is no commodity sold for human consumption that is such a potential agency for the spread of disease as milk," said Mr. Hutchison. Council's Ideals. From the outset the council had kept constantly before' it. the ideals, of a supply of milk of the highest possible purity and quality, of the lowest possible cost that could possibly be arranged by organised planning, and generally of the provision to the consumers of Auckland of milk of as high a quality and as low a cost as in any city in. the world. After a twelve months' survey of the industry the council had decided that extended pow'ers were necessary'to enable it to correct some of the anomalies and. practices for which there was insufficient provision in th& original , Act. Amendments had been prepared afijer months of investigation and consideration. There had been 29' clauses in the amending bill, and of thoee 26 had been passed, but the three most im Dortant had been the subject of. an inquiry by the executive commission of agriculture; which had recommended that the amendments should receive the favourable '( consideration of h Parliament, with certain provisions.

j The additional amendments proposed, said Mr. Hutchison, were briefly:—(l) Empowering the council to resolve that after 60 days' notice no milk be sold" in the district except to the council; (2) empowering the council to engage in all activities in connection with the handling, treatment or sale of milk (with, the consent of, the Minister); - Utt. empowering the council ; to provide s ro^ u f° r a special - loan iby a, levy, such levy not to exceed Jd per gallon. Tie powers in clause 2 would only be used if those at present engaged in the industry refused to contract with the .council to carry out the services at a reasonable price and., undeir conditions which the council considers essential, he' said. .

There waa a difference between the council's plan and a municipalised milk supply, Mr. Hutchison pointed out. Under the proposed amendments the council would become the owner of the milk at. the farm gate, but would conwith persons already engaged in the industry for transport, treatment and . distribution. In .fixings contract prices the council, would allow, only such coats as were adequate to cover the most economical provision of the various services, and duplication of collection from farms,- duplication of treatnleht plants, and overlapping; of. milk < roiirids would definitely cease. It was in this connection that .-the council would require to raise a loan. Those figures, or,persons whos'e licenses ;' were . cancelled . would have just claims for compensation, andthe. council was-of the opinion that'such claims, must,.be equitably met; .but- the• amount of .compensation would be smallcompared with.the. amount that would be required compensate . all ..thosfe, engaged ih the treatment and distribution of milk whose businesses would close under a municipalised scheme. Objections. Raised. Referring to objections that had been raised, Mr. Hutchison said that thei Ketail Milk Vendors' Association liad opposed $lie clauses last year, but lie thought 'it very probable that they would not proceed with their opposition. Compensation would 'bo • provided, for those vendors, and .roundsmen who would have; to go. Dairymen-vendors, who at present were in a favoured position, in that they received a douhle margin, would be considered in regard to their production licenses along with all other dairymen, and in regard to their vending licenses along with all other vendors'. That, the council claimed, was as much as they could reasonably demand. "Finally, objection has been stirred up—l use the words advisedly—amongst a few consumers, who, as the result of voluntary consolidation that has been carried out with the assistance of the 1 council, have had their milk vendors changed," said Mr. Hutchison. "Under the amendments already passed it has become an offence for trade that has been bought and paid for by a vendor to be pirated by another vendor. Under the voluntary consolidation that has ! taken place some 4000 householders have been affected, that is, have had their milk vender changed, and while many of these may not have'liked it they have for the most part, apparently not been prejudicially affected because not more than twelve complaints have been received and most of these were purely on sentimental grounds. In one case the reason stated was that the new milk supply &as not as good as that supplied by the former vendor. The milk was immediately tested and fount to be of superior quality to that form, erlv being supplied." Under the proposed scheme consumer! would be able to procure either pastern' ippd or raw milk, according to their par ~;>mlar tastes, but each of these woule 1'- of uniform standard, and the liighesl •ossible. .. ~-'i'...v..---