MILK SHORTAGE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 56, 7 March 1942, Page 8

MILK SHORTAGE

AND CHEESE SUPPLY

POLICY QUESTIONED

In view of the estimate made recently that the cheese output of New Zealand would fall short by over 100,000 tons of the quota asked by the British Government, and of the recent dry spell of weather having further limited the production there has been criticism of the authority given the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council by the Minis- , ter of Agriculture to draw supplies from the Drury cheese factory. It was divulged that the milk council was forced by the dry weather having reduced the normal town supply to seek auxiliary supplies, and that the Minister had reluctantly given authority to draw from the Drury factory, the authority having been acted upon this week Th£ point of view of those who criticise this action is that there is a general shortage in cheese production in relation to the quota for Britain, while there is at the same time a surplus of butter supply The Drury factory had opened for production only last month. In the circumstances, it is argued, the sensible way to have met the position would have been to divert butter factory supplies for the town needs, and to have left the cheese factory supply alone. ,