THE MAYOR'S VIEW

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 10, 11 July 1918, Page 8

THE MAYOR'S VIEW

SPECIAL MILK TBAINS.

I'lio Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, C.M.G., M.l-}, when aaked by the reporter for hid vi6w» on tho matter, said he regretted exceedingly that the difficulties associated, with tho milk supply of the city v/cro bo very evident. There was no blinking tho fact that for quite a long time householders had not had that coniitatit fmpply of milk which was necesftary. More than one factor had been operating to bring about the present unsatisfactory position. Of course, it was no now thing for difficulties to arise in respect to the winter supply, but in previous years these difficulties had always been overcome by reaching further back and tapping other sources of supply which were available to make good tho deficiency. There had also been the recognition by the public generally of the need for economy in the home in view of the restricted supplies, and in order that the children, who needed the milk most, should first be attended to. For some time the non-running of certain trains had created the greatest difficulty in deliveries to the city. Also the large camps adjacent to the town had diverted supplies which otherwise would have been available for citizens. Further, the number of marble bars in the city, in spite of the cold weather, created a demand for drinks of which milk was the chief constituent, making a drain upon the supply available for general household -distribution. The City Council set up a special committee at the time when the clearinghouse scheme did not show evidence warranting further interest being centred upon it, and that committee, with Councillor Norwood as chairman, had been assiduously carrying out its duties, and, the Mayor understood, had approached the subject from every side, enquiring into the supply of milk available from; the farms within a certain radius, the' desirability of the council's assembling'the supplies at two principal points, and finally bringing it to the city for distribution. The Mayor added : "I am not in a position to speak further of .-the committee's work—it would not be fair to the committee—but I hope the report which is being developed will soon be presented, possibly at the council meeting,.in a fortnight's time." "To my mind pressure must be brought to bear upon the railway authorities to so adjust matters in connection with the city, milk supply as to assure that the quantity required shall bo available. I quite admit the problem of men and the_ running of trains, and the Department ie to be given credit for having the courage of its convictions in meeting the peculiar conditions arising from the war. But the food of the community must be considered, and milk is the most important food for infants. It is no use conserving the population on some sides, and then allowing the good done to be neutralised by the reduction of supplies of necessary food.' I consider that the Railway Department should run a. special milk train on both the Manawatu and the Wairarapa lines. A long train would not be required to run to Levin on the one side and Mastorton on the other, if it were necessary to go that distance. Arguments about the number of men required and passengers wanting to use the train, or the demand that it should carry other freight, should not be allowed to stand in the way. If it is a matter of £s. &. then the health of the community is of more importance' than a small item of railway finance. If this suggestion were given effect'to then the train could be run on each line so as to permit of tho morning supply coming to the city by 1 or 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Following ■that, I think that war regulations should be put into operation without delay to make it incumbent Upon the whole of the distributors to deliver the milk upon tho arrival of the train, so that, a fresh supply would be assured to householders. I am not giving my personal opinion of any suggestion of the committee (in justice to the committee I am holding that until the report is available), but whatever the report may contain I do emphasise on behalf of the citizens of Wellington the necessity for action being taken on the lines I have indicated. liven if the service is to be assessed on a monetary basis, and the Railway Department feels that the cost will be fairly heavy, tho extra amount distributed among the whole community would not be excessive, and would be less felt than the inconvenience of the present intermittent and unsatisfactory supply. But when expressing an opinion as to whether there should be added cost, one of the larger suppliers has said that people of Wellington are being charged for their milk quite as much as, if not more than, they should bo at the present time."