MUNICIPAL MILK AT PETONE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 287, 31 August 1938, Page 6

MUNICIPAL MILK AT PETONE

Not Approved By Council

PRIVATE ENTERPRISE PREFERRED Objection to any interference with private enterprise was taken by the majority of members of the Retone Borough Council this week when it was moved by Cr. J. Huggan that the council set up a committee to investigate the sale and distribution of milk iu the borough. "I am not iu favour of interference ill private enterprise; there is too much of that, municipally and by the State, ami people are- losing their sense of proportion,” said Cr. H. Green. Cr. Huggan, introducing the subject, said that while the council prided itself on the borough streets citizens were being awakened daily in the early hours by the sound of milk carls and floats. It seemed that every street had at least six different milkmen; four at least. It was annoying to people and an expensive, uneconomic way of delivery. Milk Adulteration. There were also crises of adulteration of milk which were hard to sheet home, he said. It seemed that tests were taken infrequently; some went two years without one while another had two taken in a week. In comparison, every can. of njilk which went into the Wellington City Council's municipal supply was tested on arrival. The usual excuses by vendors at Petone where there were adulteration cases was that it had occurred on the farm; the farmer said in turn that it occurred in transit. He was not boosting a municipal supply for Petone. . . . The mayor, Mr. G. London: Xou won’t get it. Or. Huggan said Petone was getting worse milk and had been for some Con-siderable-period. He was not up against private enterprise, but when private enterprise interfered with an essential service they should be something about it. The mayor: That’s socialisation. Cr. A. M. Campbell, supporting Cr. Huggan, said there was haphazard delivery. Milk delivered under the best of conditions could still have a certain amount of contamination. He knew of times when milk curdled two hours after delivery and at certain times of the year the milk they got at Petone was not 100 per cent. There was an old saying that they would never run short of milk while there was a “cow with an iron tail” (pump) in the farmyard. Cr. J. R. Gaynor; It Is ont this council’s business to interfere with private enterprise. The mayor: Hear, bear. Or. A. M. Macfarlane: Private business is still private business; there are the necessary inspectors to report faults. It is not our duty to pet up committees to tell people how to run their businesses. There are plenty of other fish to fry without running a municipal milk supply. Cr. W. H. Edwards said he was a strong believer in municipal control. The council once ran its own wood business. . . Councillors: It was a failure. The motion was lost by six votes io three.