CHOICE OF MILK

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24982, 17 September 1946, Page 5

CHOICE OF MILK

POLICY REAFFIRMED BY CITY COUNCIL

Apparently perturbed at an inference taken by some members of the public from a recent report of the health committee (on which councillors are in a minority), members of the Christchurch City Council last evening decided unanimously to place on record - a reaffirmation of their policy in favour of a choice for all consumers between raw and pasteurised milk.

After a number of councillors had discussed various phases of the milk question, Cr. M. E. Lyons said it must be made clear once again that not only the City Council but the Christchurch Metropolitan Milk Board was unanimously in favour of giving consumers the choice. Furthermore, the Central Milk Council, oh which he represented the municipalities, also desired that the people of the Dominion should have their choice. The Minis-’ ter of Health, who was chairman of the council, himself affirmed and worked for the right of the people to decide for themselves, this notwithstanding that his department spent much money in trying to persuade the people to use pasteurised milk. Cr. F. S. Wilding, who emphasised the importance of herfl testing, said he understood this work had begun and the first big herd tested, at Hoon Hay, had proved to be fnee of disease. Cr. Lyons said that last years Statutes Amendment Act had widened the powers of the Department of Agriculture in herd inspection and liberalised the compensation necessary for the cleaning up of the herds. The best thing that could be done for the improvement, of the industry was rigid inspection of the herds. Declaring that where the health of the people was concerned he put aside politics, Cr. Lyons said he had no doubt whatever of the wisdom of placing milk treatment plants, especially pasteurisation plants, under,, public control. In that he was supported by some of the most conservative people in the country. The Central Council, with the exception of one member, who wanted producer control, took the same attitude. ' Where public control could render the public a valuable service he would favour it. said Cr. Lyons. There was always the danger of a tendency tq try to save milk which was brought to a treating house and which should , really be put down the drain or fed to the pigs. , Cr. Lyons said there was only one major treating plant in New Zealand which was not under firm offer to the Government. . He had no doubt the Governfnent had made provision in its< estimates for the purchase of these plants. The one exception was a Wai* kato firm supplying Auckland. In Auckland, said Cr. Lyons, pasteurised milk was being delivered by can and . dipper which made a .force of pasteurisation. He thought there was no milk more dangerous than re-infected pasteurised milk. His hope was to see the development of the industry op the lines of the English system—herds certified as to health, the milk chilled quickly, bottled and then distributed fresh alongside pasteurised milk for those who wanted it.