LOWERING OF MILK STANDARD

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23883, 27 February 1943, Page 4

LOWERING OF MILK STANDARD

FARMERS’ UNION OBJECTS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, February 26. The Government’s treatment of city milk supplies, particularly in the South Island, was criticised at the meeting of the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, in Wellington, yesterday. . , The following resolution was adopted unanimously;—'"That this executive of t. j New Zealand Farmers’ Union expresses grave misgivings at a report from Christchurch of the allegation that the Government proposes to per- ; -it milk vendors to supply milk below the prescribed regulation standard for butter-fat content.” It should be realised that the proper course for the Government to pursue and one most in the public’s interest is to ensure an adequate supply of good milk by seeing the present ridiculously low prices paid to producers in Christchurch (which after all are .still at depression levels) are replaced by fair ones and it is the course we demand that the Government should take. To try to solve such a problem by permitting the introduction of inferior milk is to introduce a principle which is totally opposed to the best interests of the consuming public and eventually of dairy farmers of New Zealand. The Government must see that requisite milk of good quality is obtained by according justice to the milk producers. The Dominion secretary of the union (Mr A. P. O’Shea) said to-day that an- opinion was expressed at the meeting that the Government’s proposal was an attempt to avoid dealing with a difficult problem that should have been tackled years ago. It was stated that city milk suppliers had been trying for years to get a fair deal but had received little encouragement from the Government. The man in Christchurch who had assisted the Government and by reducing his price had made it possible to introduce the zoni scheme had received shocking treatment. To say that he had been misled by the Government’s representatives was putting it mildly, added Mr O’Shea. This was the most outstanding case of disgraceful treatment of an individual by a Government he had ever heard of. The position of Dunedin suppliers was even worse than that of Christchurch, he said. These people had seen very little British fair-play or justice.