MILK SUPPLY IN CITY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22484, 19 August 1938, Page 12

MILK SUPPLY IN CITY

♦ Production Costs And Prices INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE v Arrangements have been made by the Minister for Marketing (the Hon. W. Nash) to have an investigation made at the first opportunity of the prices and the cost of production of milk in Christchurch. This information is contained in a letter received by the Christchurch Dairymen’s Society in response to representations to the Minister. The letter from the Minister said that it was not desirable that the milk-in-schools scheme should be the cause of unfairly affecting the domestic value of the town milk supply, and. therefore, the points raised by the society would in due course be discussed ynth the Christchurch contractor. The society would of course realise that as the school holidays were so close at hand and as the winter season was almost over, it was not considered advisable to reopen the existing winter school milk contract. Nevertheless, an early opportunity would be taken of discussing with Mr C. Morgan Williams, Mi 5 ., and Mr T. H. McCombs, MJ 5 . the viewpoint of the society. The Present System The letter sent to the Minister by the secretary of the society (Mr A. A. Cooper) said, inter alia: — “Because of the fact that the Department of Health entered into a contract with United Dairies, Ltd., a vending company in Christchurch for the supply of milk to schools in Canterbury and Westland last March, at a time when it was not possible to gauge the supply of milk available in the winter or the price at which it could be produced, the price has been accepted by vendors as the maximum price to be paid, in other words, the ruling price- Last May, representations were made to the Department of Health through Mr F. Picot, Director of Internal Marketing, for a variation of the price payable, but the department, through Mr Cowell, officer in charge of the milk-in-schools scheme, declined to reconsider the matter. “Delegates of - this society approached the Director of Internal Marketing asking for a membership franchise on behalf of this society, which, registered as it is under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, has all the aspects of a union. The effect of such a franchise would be that every person desiring to supply milk or cream to the metropolitan, area would require to -be a member, as in Wellington. The purpose would be to co-operate fully with any price-fixing authority set up, and to exercise some control over the members to ensure that no milk or cream is procured from other than duly registered dairies. “My directors, therefore, for about 270 members, earnestly pray that effect be given to a resolution about a franchise passed at a meeting on August 1. at which Messrs C. Morgan Williams and T. H. McCombs, members of Parliament, were present, and that the matter be treated as one of urgency.”

BETTER RETURNS EXPECTED ADDRESS BY MR A. A. COOPER ■ Negotiations between the Christchurch Dairymen’s Society and the Department of Internal Marketing over the city’s milk supply had now reached a stage when developments of major importance to producers were expected, Mr A. A. Cooper <fecretarym the society) told a largely attended meeting of the Woodend-Waikuku branch of the New Zealand Farmers' There was every indication, said Mr Cooper, that a more equitable price tor milk supplied to the city fixed soon. The Government was keenly interested in the marketing of milk so far as it affected Christchurch, and he was sure that producers and producer-vendors would shortly be receiving better returns. , _ In bis opinion the payment of IDd a gallon to the producer during mis winter was most unfair. It was time that a more reasonable rate was struck, ana he predicted drastic changes m m_ marketing of milk for the Dairymen would be wise co-operate for their own advantage. 'Die the Christchurch Dairymen s Society was to better conditions for plying the city with milk, and at same time to obtain a figure jor them produce that would eliminate price cutting and unfair competition. _ The society was based on similar lines to these of the Wellmgtonsocietv Mr Cooper continued. Returns for supplying Wemngton during the last 12 months wortodom at about Is a gallon If this could be paid in Wellington where there was a less severe wmter&3DLm Christchurch, dairymen supplym*. Christchurch were entitled to receive more than lOd a gallon. “And if dairymen are properly organised in Christchurch thev wiU ceive more consideration and a imreprice for their milk,’’ the speaker concluded. ________________