THE MILK PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 99, 19 January 1918, Page 8

THE MILK PROBLEM

DRASTIC CHANGES PROPOSED SPECIAL COMMITTEE'S REPORT ALLEGATIONS AT VENDORS' MEETING PROTESTS AGAINST MAYOR'S ACTIONS . The Health Committee of the Wellington City Council some, days ago Appointed Messrs. H. A. Ward, R. H. Williams, and R. H. Oliver a special committee to submit a report on tho clearing station problem. The committee's report is as follow:—

1. Building.—To give additional floor space and to avoid using the present building for the steaming of cans, we would recommend that the space between the present building and Banks's building be floored at a sufficient height from the ground level to enable motor lorries to go underneath the floor to deliver the milk, or in other words a building to be erected in that spacc above-mentioned 9ft. Gin. above ground level, the building to extend the whole length of the present one (and 20ft. in widtb), and to be used exclusively for can-washing and steaming.

2. Appliances.—Four additional vats of 100 gallons capacity, making 8 vats in all, one Gerber 36-bottle tester r-nd outfit (the Farmers' Association will lend one until one can be procured), 1-50 control glass cylinders, 6 2}-gal. strbng buckets, record books as per specimens. ! 3. Staff.—Two shifts to be used, the clearing house to open from 6 a.m. till 5 p.m. Day Shift. Per week. :S s. d. 1 sorter at station 4 0 0 2 drivers at £3 6s 6 12 0 2 truckers at £3 6s 6 12 0 8 floormen at £3 10s 28 D 0 3 can-washers, £3 6s 9 18 0 1 tester at-£5 5 0 0 1 clerk at £4 4 0 0 1 foreman at £4 4 0 0 Night Shift. 1 manager 7 0 0 1 sorter 4 0 0 2 drivers 6 12 0 1 trucker 3 6 0 4 floormen 14 0 0 fi can-washers 9 IS 0 1 tester 5 0 0 1 clerk 4 0 0 1 foreman 4 0 0 33 £125 18 0 Two men of day shift to start work at 6 a.m., remainder to work from S a.m. till 5 p.m. Night shift from 7 p.m. till 4 a.m. Farmers' Cans.—All vendors and farmers to be numbered. All farmers' cans to have metal label soldered on lid of can with the vendor's number on one end of label and farmer's number on the other end.

Present labels on cans not to be ieinoved. Farmers' cans to have one-half the lid painted, allotting one colour to each station, thus: —White, Lower Hutt; blue, Waliaceville. Vendors' Cans.—To have small gummed label put on each can as filled from vat with farmer's number on, thus identifying each farmer's consignment.

Control Sample.—Taken from each consignment having corresponding label, to be kept 24 hours after arrival. Temperature. —To be taken of each consignment and recorded. Lactometer Reading.—Taken and recorded.

B.F. Content. —Taken and recorded. Total Solids.—As ascertained from lactometer and B.F. tests recorded.

We are unanimous in the opinion that if the above recommendations are adopted and the staff are engaged three days prior to opening the clearing houso to enable them to ds instructed as to their duties, the speedy delivery of the milk from the clearing house will be greatly facilitated. We are also unanimous in the opinion that the clearing house cannot in any sense of the term be used for the storage of milk, and all milk must be removed within one hour of its having been passed by the manager, except any milk arriving after 7 p.m., all such milk to be removed not later than 8 a.m. Any milk not so removed will be held at the sale risk of the vendor.

Tho clearing house to be open for the receiving and delivery of milk from 6 a.m. till 4 p.m. As tbe milk vendors intend to deliver to the public direct from the clearing house, we cannot give any assurance that the milk so delivered to the public will keep any reasonable length of time unless tho milk is pasteurised. VENDORS TO CLAIM COMPENSATION MAYOR SAID TO PROPOSE TO HAND CONTROL TO FARMERS. At a largely attended meeting of the Wellington Licensed Milk Vendors' Association last night members expressed dissatisfaction at the inconvenience caused and loss suffered by the operations of tho city milk clearing station. Members also announced their intention of lodging claims against the Wellington City Council lor compensation for loss of revenue through milk going sour and through dislocation of busincss. The president (Mr. R. H. .Williams) stated that he had been one of the Special Committee appointed by the council to report on tne clearing house. Tho report baa been submitted to the Health Committee of the City Council, and the committee had deferred its consideration of the report for information to be obtained, lho president added that at tho request of the Mayor he had again attended at the office of the Mayor yesterday moining and received ti proposal that the cle<u~ ing station should be handed over to tho farmers who supply milk to the city that thoy might assume control instead of the council. The Mayor had said that the idea was to place the clearing station on a footing similar to tlie fish market, tho council to supply tho building and its equipment and place the control in the hands of the farmers. The president had protested to the Mayor against such action. The Mayor had thereupon arranged with Mr. Williams to attend a meeting in the afternoon, at which the Mayor, Councillor R. A. Wright, and Messrs. It. Oliver and H. A. Ward .also would he present. When Mr. Williams went to tho meeting at the time appointed he was asked to wait outsido a while. He was then called to the room (whero all tho others had been in conference), and the proposal to hand over tbe clearing station to tho farmers was again made to him. Mr. Williams protested against the idea, and warned the meeting against giving control of the station to any body other than tho City Council. If preference was to bo given to any section it should, ho said, be extended to vendors possessing proper equipment for handling large supplies, provided that added facilities for inspection were made. Mr. Williams was then asked by the Mayor to retire from the meeting, while those remaining continued in conference. After waiting outside for some time, Mr. Williams informed the Mayor that ho had another, meeting to attend, whereupon the Mayor abruptly remarked: "You have a duty to the public to perform, as well as a private duty, but, if you wish to go, good afternoon." Mr. Williams felt that this treatment

meant that it was open for him to retire from the conference or remain and allow himself to be slighted. Ho felt it his duty to tho public, as weil as to the trade, to iiwko tnese facts known. The meeting unanimously resolved• That tho action of the president be approved, and that a strong protest bo lodged with the City Council regarding tho action of tho Mayor. Tho meeting instructed the president not to attend any City Council or committee meeting which was not open to tho Press. It was resolved that a protest should be lodged against a statement made by the clearing house manager to the' effect that the vendors contributed to the delay on the opening day _of tho clearing station by not furnishing authority to the Railway Department for the clearing house officials to lift their milk. It was stated that the whole fault lay with the corporation officials, who faiied to get signed authorities to present to the railway stationmaster. During the meeting members expressed astonishment at the action of the Mayor and Councillor Wright in asking the members of the special committee to agree to submit to tho Health Committee a new proposal while tho roivirt of tho special committee, was still under the "consideration of the Health Committee.