PRICE OF MILK.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16849, 1 June 1920, Page 6

PRICE OF MILK.

DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION AND •BOARD OF TRADE. As a result of a proposal by the Christchurch Dairymen's Association to increase the wholesale price of milk to Is 6d per gallon, the Association has come into conflict with tho Board of Trade,. During the month of May several abortive conferences were hold and correspondence was exchanged on the subject. The matter is at present in the hands of the Prime Minister, who is a member of the Board of Trade. Speaking to a representative of "Tho Press" last evening, Mr 11. B.iss, junior, chairman of the Christchurch Dairymen's Association, said that action was first taken by the Board of Trade at the end of April, when they telegraphed to him drawing attention to a report that Christchurch dairymen intended to raise the wholesale price of milk to Is 6d per gallon, and asking the Association to justify the reasonableness of suoli an increase. To_ this tho Association replied that tho price was based upon the cost ui production, and that they were willing ,to give evidence before the Board.

During six members of the Dairymen's Association, together with a veterinary surgeon to verify tlio amount of fcod and depreciation, ir-et the Board of Trade in Christchurch. The Board did rot seem to care to hear what it cost to produce the m'k and the members stated that they had come with their minds made un that the retail should not be "more than 2s per gallon, this allowing the • retailer 9d and the wholesaler Is "3d per gallon. Thtt dairymen would not accept this. The Association's representatives met the chairman of tho Board of Trade later in the month and again produced evidence of the cost of produ"tion, _ which, however, Mr Mncdonald did not care to discuss.. He suggested that a fair way to arrive at tho cost of one gallon of milk would be from a butter-fat basis a3 paid out by the butter factories, with something added for winter production. He promised to go fully into tho whole matter.

Oil May 26th the Dairymen's Association received advir-e that the Board had fixed the wholesale price of milk at Is 3d per gallon and wished to extract a promise from dairymen that this price would not be exceeded. In reply to this, Mr Bliss sent the following telegram on Friday last: —"Dairymen's Association consider Board's decision not in accordance with weight of evidence given. "Would ynu be prepared to giro facilities for'further inquiry imTOpdiately ? Faili~,g this, would you take immediate action against a dairyman for nrofitccr.ing if he charged Is 6d per gallon so as to have the matter tested in a Court of Law before actually gazetting the price." As no reply was received to th» tolsfrrnm a lengthy lette r was sent by tlie Dairymen's Association to the of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Nosworthy, sotting out the position and out that as a numbf"- oF suppliers had censed to supiply rrilk during winter mont'-s, there was a no'sihility of the milk supply of CbrisfcpViureh failing if this attiMidr» were continued. Mi- Bliss reco'ved a reylv from tho Minister last night ii whi°h he said that h" was rpferr'ng the mat+er to the P»- : me Mmi= + or. as a rocmVr of the Board of Trade, for consideration and reply. Steps aro now being taken by the City Council to put into effect the inauguration of its housing scheme. A sum of £10.COO has been promised by the Government, and w'th this amount it is hoped to erect about eight houses. The Housing Committee of the Council are now engaged in selecting sites, and when their decision is made they will report to the Council. The present intention is to acquire a block of land of sufhoient s ; "e to erect all the houses pnssihle with the present grant, and tho scheme will he clrrelnoed as further money becomes available.