MILK SUPPLY AT KAIKOURA

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27489, 25 October 1954, Page 6

MILK SUPPLY AT KAIKOURA

VENDOR TO RESUME DELIVERY CASE PRESENTED TO PUBLIC MEETING As a result of a consumers’ meeting held in Kaikoura on Friday, the local vendor, Mr G. A. Smith, has agreed to resume the Kaikoura townmilk supply delivery on Sunday evening. The chairman of the Kaikoura County Township committee (Mr V. J. Corbett) presided. Mr Smith said that when he began the round in February, 1947, the NewZealand Milk Marketing Division paid him the then national margin of 9Jd a gallon, plus 3d a gallon for collection from the farm. In 1950, the margin over all was reduced to lOd, or a decrease of 2£d a gallon, whereas metropolitan vendors received an increase from 9£d to lOd a gallon. After two years of negotiation his margin was raised to Is a gallon, which it is today, or id below that upon which he originally began, said Mr Smith. The houses in the area supplied were very scattered, and collection from farms involved a run of 33 miles a day. Over a period of four years he had registered a mileage of 71,000, ne said.

In his application to the New Zealand Milk Board he had asked for a retrospective payment of Id a gallon during 1951 and 1952, and id a gallon since March 31, 1952. ’ Mr Smith said that single-handed his round took 11 hours, whereas he knew’ of rounds in urban areas that took only 3i hours. In serving 287 customers. 107 stops had to be made. The consumers agreed to co-operate with the vendor in arranging the grouping of delivery containers, as far as was practicable.