Milk

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24280, 10 June 1944, Page 4

Milk

When his Worship the Mayor, at the inauguration of the new City Council this week, said that one of its first tasks would be to consider the city’s milk supply and decide how best to make it “ safe and satisfac- “ tory,” he accepted for himself and the council a large responsibility, too long neglected. The charge of neglect is not pointed only against the last council, which, indeed, has something of an answer to it. It was more active than many of its predecessors; as, for instance, in instituting a special inquiry, in being prepared to act with drastic severity against delinquent suppliers, in protesting against a threatened move to lower the fat-content minimum, and in tightening up the inspection of the supply. But municipal authority continues while councils change; and the fact is that for 20 years the municipal authority has exhibited only a spasmodic conscience,, purpose, and energy.- It has blown hot and cold, at times congratulating itself and the public on the quality of the supply, at times expressing deep concern over its defects. It has turned towards municipalisation and turned away. It has, for instance under the influence of Dr. John Guthrie and Sir Hugh Acland, concentrated on public health and the consumer’s interests as the essential factors of the problem; it has at other times applied itself rather to the economic factors of supply and distribution. But after nearly 20 years of debate and inquiry the milK supply is inadequate, its quality is far from being uniformly good enough, conditions of production and distribution leave much to be desired, and the producers’ position is as insecure as over. The war helps to explain all this; it does not wholly, or nearly, account for it. He would be a reckless councillor or citizen who would say that, but for the war, there would be no milk supply problem, little need for reform, and that little easily satisfied. There would have boon a large and didicult task to lie done, had Mr Chamberlain brought back “peace in " our time ” from Munich, as he thought, instead of war. As it is, the task is larger and more difficult. It will have to be done. The Mayor promises, in effect, that the council will do it. The Citizens’ Association majority is, on its election platform, bound to try along lines of organisation and control short of municipalising the supply. By all means, let it try, provided only that it tries hard enough; that it arms itself with the b*st possible technical advice, of all necessary kinds; that it accepts the evidence, withcut preconception of any kind; and that it is resolute enough to act acand tell the people why. It is bound to try what c?n l?e done Without municipalising; that is part of its pledge. But there is another part: that, if it finds it necessary to depart from this line of action, it will inform and consult the electorate. Energetic and thorough action to fulfil this pledge, as a whole, is the council’s duty; and nothing less will be enough.