SUPPLIERS OF TOWN MILK

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25589, 2 September 1948, Page 3

SUPPLIERS OF TOWN MILK

PRAISE FROM MR W. H. GILLESPIE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, September 1. The efforts of town milk suppliers in Canterbury, especially those round Kaiapoi, were praised by Mr W. H. Gillespie (Opposition, Hurunui) in the House of Representatives this evening. He reminded the House that last year Mr H. E. Combs (Government, Onslow) had spoken of idle land round Christchurch which could be put into production. It had been true for a time last year that milk was being sent from Wellington to Christchurch, said Mr Gillespie. There were several reasons for that. One was that just ' before Mr Combs visited Christchurch there had been a heavy snowfall. Another was that a milk shortage existed in Greymouth and watersiders refused to load a coal ship unless they received milk supplies. Then it had been found that while milk was being rationed in Christchurch it was unrationed in Greymouth, where Christchurch milk was going. When Greymouth asked for more milk from Christchurch, it was agreed to supply it only on condition that Wellington milk of equal quantity came down by the steamer express, and that was done.

This year the position was completely different, Mr Gillespie said. From May 28, Wellington had been receiving milk from Christchurch and at the present rate of delivery Christchurch was sending Wellington 1300 gallons of milk a day. The area round Kaiapoi alone was producing 12.000 gallons of milk a day.