MILK-IN-SCHOOLS SCHEME

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22460, 22 July 1938, Page 12

MILK-IN-SCHOOLS SCHEME

-—♦—r PRICE RECEIVED BY PRODUCERS, POSSIBLE REFUSAL' TO SUPPLY •Unless' the Government \s prepared to consider raising the price of' lOd a gallon which is paid to milk producers by the contractors for the milk-in-schools scheme in Christchurch, United Dames, Ltd., it is possible that the producers will refuse to supply milk for the scheme. , „_., This, it was reported to ine Press" yesterday, was the general feeling of a meeting of 20 suppliers to United Dairies, Ltd., on Wednesday evening, when extreme dissatisfaction was expressed by the suppliers at the price they were receiving, it being considered totally inadequate to cover the cost of production. , . A proposal was made to the suppliers that they should separate their milk for butter-fat, but the meeting decided that all other suppliers to retailers should be given an opportunity of combining with the United Dairies suppliers, before any decision was reached. It was considered that there was no inducement for producers to milk continuously through the year, and it was stated that it was just as profitable to restrict their activities to butter-fat producing in the summer months. Mr C. W. Humm, of Wainui, presided at the meeting"USlNG ELECTIONS AS A LEVER" 1 ■ - REPLY BY MANAGER OF UNITED DAIRIES "The suppliers at the meeting did not represent half the milk supplied to United Dairies, and I consider that the views expressed were not supported by all the suppliers at

the meeting," said Mr John H. Harris, manager of United Dairies. Ltd., commenting yesterday on the milk producers' meeting on Wednesday evening. - "The price which our contract allows us to pay to producers is that ruling for milk supplied for town consumption and in some cases it is even higher than that which other companies are paying. The inefficient, disgruntled producers are using the coming elections as a lever to force the Government to pay » higher price, believing that the Government will pay a higher price rather than stop the milk-in-schools scheme on the eve of the elections. "There is no compulsion for producers to supply United Dairies, and if they are not satisfied with the price to-day, milk can easily be ob- ; tained elsewhere."