MILK IN SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23715, 13 August 1942, Page 4

MILK IN SCHOOLS

PRIVATE SUPPLY WANTED With no immediate prospect of having the milk-in-schools scheme restored to its previous extent, the Canterbury School" Committees’ Association will ask the Health Department f6r permission to arrange a private supply for each school, the charges to be met by the department. This would replace the arrangement made by the department with one contractor. In reply to representations made last month to the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer), advice was received by the association last evening that much less milk than was anticipated was available, partly because of the seasonal shortage and also because of the big demands of military camps. Mr Nordmeyer stated that negotiations were in hand to ensure continuity of supply throughout next winter.

Mr F. Walklin said the Spreydon committee had called tenders for supplying milk to the school, and the number received indicated that there was no shortage of milk but simply mismanagement in zoning. Another delegate from the Spreydon committee, Mr G. Gee, said he knew one milkman who had a daily surplus of 35 gallons of milk since zoning was intro, duced, while four others had a surplus of 150 gallons. A North Canterbury delegate said that farmers found it more economical to separate their milk and raise pigs than to supply the town, even if that were permitted. When difficulties in maintaining dental clinics were mentioned, it was agreed to ask the Health Department to take over all charges. Some delegates said the former system under which committees could raise money to meet extra expenses had worked quite satisfactorily.