THE CITY'S MILK

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 59, 7 September 1917, Page 10

THE CITY'S MILK

QUESTION OF INSPECTION

TEMPORARY STATION AUTHORISED

s FINANCING THE SCHEME.

The Finance Committee of the City Council reported last night that it had authorised the City Engineer to proceed without delay with the erection of a temporary milk, station in accordance with the plan submitted by such officer. The committee further reported that it had received the following resolution from the Greater Wellington Town Planning, and Municipal Electors' Association :—"That, notwithstanding this association is in favour of the establishment of a milk clearing houee, it will strenuously, oppose the suggested expen- ] diture of £45,000 without the sanction of the ratepayers by means of a poll." The committee recommended that the association be replied to, to the effect that the council intends to use the powers conferred by the statute, where the statute gives the right to raise money by special order, as this is a measure for the protection of the health of the public The Mayor said they looked upon this whole question absolutely as a health measure, and they could not afford to run the risk of submitting it to a vote of the ratepayers. They had to go on with the work, anyhow. They had the statutory power to obtain the money aa proposed, and he did not think the Ratepayers' Association was acting in the interests of the community in forcing the council to take a vote, especially when one ratepayer, having given no thought to the question, could defeat the considered recommendation of the Mayor and the whole council. The Mayor added that he had seen the Minister^ for Public Health, who was desirous of giving every assistance in the matter of milk inspection. The plans submitted, were for an up-to-date clearing station, with facilities providing for the cleaning of cans. If vendors had not sufficient cans to take the milk from the farmers' cans, there might be some delay in obtaining them, because of the scarcity of material. He had seen the Board of Trade, a.nd had advised it that it would be necessary to impose a small tax on the milk to meet administration expenses and the cost of motor wagons to convey the milk from the various • stations. The board was aware that the council was acting under statutory authority. For the present the council would not undertake distribution, but when the permanent station was erected that was the policy. He congratulated the council on the first big forward step taken in this important matter. In Teply to Councillor Castle, it -was stated by the City' Solicitor that 1 the council had power to enforce ithe passage of all milk through the station, except that produced in one or two southern , areas. ; ■ , ■ The Mayor stated that representationa were already being made with the ,view to the exemption oi milk produced in a .certain area, but that was a matter to be dealt with later. The report was adopted.