AT FRONT GATE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 233, 2 October 1942, Page 4

AT FRONT GATE

MILK DELIVERIES SYSTEM WORKING WELL "Over !)() per cent successful." This Ts tlie verdict of leading Auckland milk distributors when asked their opinion to-day of the operations of the front-gate delivery system for milk introduced on September 15. It was stated that the majority of consumers had erected boxes and containers cither on or near the front gate, and only a very small number of people had taken up an obstructive attitude and refused to assist the roundsman. One firm, however, stated that a large increase in petty thieving of money left in the boxes had occurred since the scheme was inaugurated, and it had been obliged to appoint collectors to call at customers' houses on certain days of the week. The manager of one of the milk companies instanced the case of a woman who put up a combined mail and milk box on the gate. It was a tine piece of carpentry and nicely finished off with green paint. Inside she left the billy and some money to pay the account. N'ext morning the entire outfit was gone—box, billy and money! "We are finding the scheme quite satisfactory," said the head of another firm. "There is a great saving in labour. In fact, if it had not been for something of this nature we should have been unable to carry on." One effect of the front-gate delivery, it is stated, is that people are sleeping sounder. N'o matter how considerate the average roundsman may be in wearing rubbersoled shoes and generally avoiding noise, there are light sleepers who awake regularly with the arrival of the milkman. Wtih the removal of billies and, in many cases, cash, to the front gate insomnia sufferers arthaving a better time.