CITY MILK SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 59, 3 December 1926, Page 12

CITY MILK SUPPLY

, REDUCTION IN PRICE On the recommendation of" file Milk Committee, the City Council decided last night to reduce the price of milk 'for the summer period (from a date in December to be arranged) by one half-penny, per quart. In-moving the adoption of the. report, Councillor W. H. Bennett (chairman of the Milk Committee) reminded . the council that at the summer and winter periods it was necessary to estimate the receipts and expenditure before fixing the price of milk, so that the , coupon system might operate through the agencies. Fortunately for the council, but most unfortunately for the country generally, the price of milk products, on which the basic price for the council s purchase of milk and cream was fixed, had been much lower on the home market than for many years. It was felt by the committee that they should consider their position, and with a view of helping the producer by stimulating a greater consumption of what was known to be one of the best foods in existence, and also bv giving the people the benefit of the lower cost, they had decided to recommend to the council the reduction in price per quart by one half-pennv for the balance of the / summer period. “We have,” added Councillor Bennett, “sufficient profit in sight to meet all our usual allotments as well as to meet any winter loss, our policy being to make the summer profits bear some of the extra cost during the winter, when our product costs us 85 per cent above that of the ' summer period Though one half-penny reduction does not mean a great deal to the average householder, the council will, be interested to know that it means a very large amount to us, our profit being less by £1.225 per month.. To. give effect to the recommendation will cause the Department and. the public some little inconvenience, insomuch that it win be necessary to take stock of all our agencies to make the’change. It will be necessarv thoroughly to notify the public, so that they can fit their coupon supply in with the term. There are manv’ reasons why we cannot \ change the coupons in the middle of a season. Might I add that perhaps the low price being received for milk products may bring dairying land back to its legitimate value, although many unfortunates will not ret the benefit.’’ Councillor G. A. Troup commented on the splendid state cf the committee’s finances when compared with the position twelve months ago, and said that a word of praise was due to the committee. He thought the move to make 8 reduction in the price of milk a. wise one. The recommendation was adopted.