FRONT GATE PLAN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 134, 9 June 1942, Page 3

FRONT GATE PLAN

| DELIVERING MILK

REZONING A FACTOR

With a view to further conservation of manpower, the principle of front gate delivery of milk was approved by the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council at a special meeting last night. Daylight delivery was considered impracticable at the present time, and the council decided against that proposal. In the course of discussion it was suggested by several members that the term "front gate delivery" had been the cause of most of the opposition to the proposal and that the public would have co-operated with the board more readily if it had been explained that what was really intended was that milk should be delivered within a given distance of the front, back or side gate, whichever was most convenient to the roundsman.

The following resolution, drafted by Miss E. Melville, was adopted: "That the council endorses the principle of front gate delivery as a means of conserving manpower, the details to be worked out in consultation with the employing firms and roundsmen's union in order to arrange for an extension of delivery hours and increase of gallonage, the necessary resolution to be submitted to the next meeting of the council."

Mr. A. S. Bailey said that no doubt arrangements could be made by roundsmen to overcome objections that might be made in the case of milk to be delivered to invalids. Miss Melville said that the council had no definite information as to how many men would be released for national service w ! th the inauguration of front gate delivery. All that had been dealt with so far was percentages. The public should be told the facts. It was no use talking theoretically and saying that a quarter of a man or half a man could be saved on a certain round. It appeared that only the big companies could use fewer men. "If only two men go into khaki as the result of the proposal it will be worth while," said Mr. C. J. Lovegrove. He added rezoning might have to be undertaken as the result of the scheme. The Chairman. Mr. I. J. Goldstine: That will be necessary. There is 110 doubt about it. Mr. Lovegrove said that an appeal had been mads by the Director of Manpower and the board had a duty to do all that was possible to release every man possible. Mr. A. Thompson said that 75 per cent of roundsmen and vendors would be "caught" in the forthcoming ballot. He thought that daylight delivery was the only thing that would help. It would save 100 per cent of manpower, also petrol and rubber if properly organised. The chairman said that a conference would have to be held with the roundsmen's union. In working out details dwellers in flats as well as invalids would have to be considered.