MILK INDUSTRY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22445, 5 July 1938, Page 3

MILK INDUSTRY

MUNICIPALISATION OF SUPPLY BILL TO PROVIDE FOR REFERENDUM A decision to provide for the holding of a poll before any powers are used to municipalise the city’s milk supply was made last night by the Christchurch City Council, on the recommendation of its abattoir reserves, and milk committee.

The committee reported that the scheme for the municipalisation of the milk industry as contained in the bill which is being drafted for presentation to Parliament was the only one put before it which could be considered satisfactory from an economic and health aspect. The committee therefore recommended that a clause be inserted in the bill providing that a referendum of all electors in the combined district be taken before any steps were taken to exercise the powers which the bill gave to assume control of the milk supply, and that steps then be taken to have the bill brought before Parliament.

Opposing the committee’s recommendation, Cr. T. Milliken said that the matter had not been fully investigated by the committee. He believed that a c?se had been made out for pasteurisation, but not for municipalisation. It was not yet known how much expenditure would be involved. There were so many aspects of the problem that might well be investigated by a responsible tribunal. Special Meeting Suggested “If anything more is to be done in this matter, the bill should be considered clause by clause by the council,” said Cr. A. C. Sandston. “The bill has never been discussed clause by clause by the council, and public discussion of the clauses would give the electors the opportunity of knowing what is being done.” Cr. Sandston moved that the bill be considered clause by. clause at a special meeting of the council.

This amendment was seconded by Cr. E. H. Andrews, who said he believed that a good deal in the bill needed improvement. The bill would be wrecked unless some conformity of opinion was obtained from the outside local bodies into whose districts it was proposed to extend the scheme.

Regret that the Labour Party had promised a referendum was expressed by Cr. M. E. Lyons. Municipalisation was essential, but he did not think there was a hope of getting the scheme approved by a referendum. “We have discussed this matter ad nauseam,” said Cr. G. Manning. “It is time we showed the public that the council is determined to do something with this. problem that has harassed Christchurch for some years.” Cr. Sir Hugh Acland remarked that the adoption of the clause, in his opinion, would not prevent the council from considering the bill clause by clause. This course would be taken by the committee and then referred to the council for discussion. The amendment was lost on the voices.