THE MILK SUPPLY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 110, 1 February 1908, Page 5

THE MILK SUPPLY.

WHAT IS BEING DONE AT 7' ; ; . AUCKLAND. ':^i; INTERESTING DISCUSSION. A DISSATISFIED COUNCILLOR. fat. TELEGRAM—S?KCIA I, cnRRESrOMDUNT.) Auckland; January 31. An angry' member of the City Council (Dr. Stopford) made lively at last nighVs meeting of .that body.-•■Thar"Finance* Committee, reporting on the question'of-a-dcpot for humanised mill: for ijj'ants, recgiiimeridcd. \that the attitude of the Government be, first ascertained on certain points, whereupon, Dr., Stopford exclaimed: "The Committee .is j simply shelving the question of humanised! milk. You have, a death' rate amongst children just now that 'ia. osceediygly« Highs'- and : you are absolutely callous in every shape and form to . the infant, lifa o£ this ..city.", Mr. A. J. Entrieaii: "You're too strong." Dr. Stopford : ,'T am, not .too strong, Mr. Councillor Entrican. If ybtir' child'- was''a youngster 'you'd, feel, strong Hbout .it.";.. The -Mayor: "You must ndtVget excited; Councillor Stopford." I,***-.' 1 ' : Dr. Stopford: On, Jife.'and; death 1 will get excited. : Tlio Mayor: Councillor: Stopford will bo good (jnough to always stop When I am ad-; dressing : him. .. ■'~/• /v>lDr. Stopford: Yes, I'm sorry I interrupted.

STATEMENT BY,THE MAYOR. v The Mayor went on to' say "that this matter had been very carefully considered, and it was because the committee desired to take steps of a practical. . 'haturo-\.;tli^t., -it had, brought the. recommendation'-fofwar'd'., . • It' was no good making'■•recqnrmqnd&tiotts , if; there was no certainty"itlwt "the source' of supply was pure.' The 'committee . was fully, alive*to 'the: 'question; and the : Government was also - recognising the importance; of. it,', and. -hnd-; allocated forl. dhiry- jinsiJection. Whoii tlio committee-\yas 'shtisftod'thattlio Government was doing its ': duty;;and seeing- that, the source Of Supjly'^was''pure,' tlicn it would behove the Council to tako siich action as would assure consumers qf the purity of tlio supply in. tlio" oity; .-,'Tlip : question teemed with. difficulties. ; There was not a member v of the Council who ; was notdesirous of doing something, aud.the.com? mitted would. welcome assistance from Dr. Stopford in' his. professionalvcapacityjyand, look to him to help itbut -'-he-iiiust nbt cast reflections on. the committee. as ho had done; Ho-(the. Mayor) :%as sure i'tliey "Veiro all pleased to see 'that Lady. Plunkct ; was taking up another- aspect off the question of infant life., . '■■ l -V"V

Dr. Stopford: Why, should it come from Lady Plunket, or any. other Plunket? Why should it not come from-you, as Mayor ,of the city? It is not philanthropy, .it is justice \yo want.' .; . , ... The Mayor said that before Dr. Stopford entered tho Council he.(the--Mayor) went exhaustively into the matter';. J 'aiid there was the question whether , tho - Copncjl'.should municipalise the wholoj supply, and have a oloaring house for the lot. Investigation showed that it was, by.:.ho-.means' such an easy matter as might lie supposed. ■;■ During the last two or three I months nothing- was done, because there were important matters requiring immediate, attention.: Br. Stopford 'had called"'the c'riiUfnittde':'callb'us; but it, was nothing of V It had discussed this matter for "a considerable time, and regretted it did not,have the presence of. Dr.. Stopford' to assist, jt, buylie, Councih must-first bo satisfied that the iiiilk roaciieu the city in a pure state;-!and.-t-hon-it bo for the Council to take steps, to see that the consumer received thef niijjv itt', .wholesome condition. : -.' ; ' : ... WELLINGTON'IS:.EXPERIENCE., . . . •Mr;' L: J...Bngnall said .the, experienco. in Wellington was t-ji'at an'attempt "to establish a humanised. milk depot ; was .failure., 'Ho understood that a reliable-local;firm jvas.now putting ,tho articlo on the market./ What Lady Plunket proposed • had nothing to do with tho Council. She proposed- to have instruction' given to . ttose/^in';chargo of children, and tli,at ww" no- part -of the Council's duty. 1 . Dr. Stopford: Tho Charitable Aid or Hospital Board should do it, then. .. ~ Mr. H. if. Smeeton Tomarked that humanised milk could be. supplied 'privately. It would not bo advisable to have a municipal depot, as tho public coukl afford tho reasonable charges made by local . firms. Tho Council must wait till it saw that the supply , was pure; Dr. Stopford. I want to speak a little more on this subject. . ... Mr. Bagnall :• You have spoken already.: Dr. Stopford: Let mo have a show, sometimes. , I did not interrupt'you wh'eiif you spoko about forty times the other night. (Laughter.) . .■ - Tho Mayor theu made some remark, and Dr. Stopford,went on to say:—"Mr. Bagnall is absolutely absurd. I will solid... my... report to tho papers.'.'