MILK FOR WELLINGTON.

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 12, 13 July 1918, Page 4

MILK FOR WELLINGTON.

TO IHB EDITOR. Sir,—There have been many comments made lately re this matter, and a great deal said about the greed, etc., of the producer. I should like to point out a few of the real causes of the present state of things, and in so doing, it is not my intention to hurt anyone's feelings, nor yet to blame one person or authority more than another. Strange to say, however, for years past nearly everything possible has been working against the supply of fresh ■ milk to our towns during the winter months. The first cause is the great demand and increasing prices for butter, cheese, etc., which is derived from milk produced during the nipe best months of the year. . If producers can make larger returns, and under more pleasant working conditions, is it not natural that they should do 30? The best working conditions possible are just what the whole community is looking.for. Just lot some of our town andl office people spend a winter (of weather similar to what we l*ave experienced during the last month) amongst cows, and they will know why people dislike winterxroilking. If the-supplying of milk to the towns is such a paying proposition as many appear to think, how is it that so many farmers are ceasing to do this, and instead are going into the factory trade? Men go into business to make money, and generally lean towards the largest profits. Moreover, the treatment by railway authorities is such tljat everything is made harder than necessary for tho town supplior. Some two years" ago, the suppliers endeavoured, to get the railways to cheek the milk sent, in and the empties returned, but this was refused. Some of tis even waited upon the Minister for Railways and offered to pay the wages of a man (or two if necessary) to check the empties being returned. After waiting about three months for an I answer, we wero informed that this could not be done.

3Jow,' Sir, ro price of milk: This is fixed from time to time by the Board of Trade, Taking it. on the whole thb price paid during the past twelve months vra* —in my opinion—a fair one, that is if

the price paid was received by those producing for town- supply, but this was not the case. « The price paid was the same for both summer and winter, the result being too much summer and insufficient winter production. To induce dairy farmers to obtain a supply for winter, a much greater price must be paid than that given for .the summer. This could be done by reducing the price for summer months to allow for the increased price for winter. Then, and not until then, will our towns have sufficient winter milk for their neods. The Mayor's views about special milk trains are,. I think, wrong and' would not. help to bring more milk into Wellington until an adjustment of prices was made and better facilities provided. I should like to call your attention to a local in your own paper of 29th June stating that milk in Masterton was 6d per quart (£d more than the present price in Wellington). There are thousands of cows around Masterton, and many factories", but yet there is very little winter milk. Now, Sir, what benefit would it bo to run a- tram' there under present conditions?

Mr. Editor, my real reason for writing is to endeavour to get those in authority, who know the need of milk for our children,- to act and act quickly. Milk is becoming scarcer every winter, and unless action- is taken within the next two weeks at most, there will be an even gjreater shortage next winter than there is at present, even were people willing to pay as much as five shillings per gallon for the milk. The milk produced does not depend upon the number of cows round a district, but on the number of cows in milk being properly fed—dry cows do not count. Unless farmers prepare their cows now, these cannot be milked, during next winter. It is a well-known fact that numbers of farmers are letting their cows go so that they will not come in until August, and ifc is only by prompt action by those in power that this state of things will be altered.—l am, etc., W. T. STRAND.