THE MILK SUPPLY

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 138, 7 December 1918, Page 7

THE MILK SUPPLY

WELLINGTON BILL WITHDRAWN "A LOSS TO THE COMMUNITY." The Local Bills Gommittee reported to the House of Representatives yesterday on the "Wellington Milk Supply Bill that the iuember in charge of the Bill, having informed the Committee that he wished to withdraw it, the Committee recommended that it should bo allowed to be withdrawn.

Councillor O. B. Norwood, Chairman of the Special Milk Committee, made extended reference to the subject in an interview with, a Post reporter this morning. "My committee," he saidv _"i 3 naturally disappointed at the dropping of the Billj it will mean a lo3s to the community of a very perfect system of handling this very important food. "In these times, when the cost of living is being seriously considered by everybody, .it is difficult to imagine that our legislators will not give the requisite authority to local bodies, \ especially in cases where the health of the community as well as the cost of living are both involved.

"I do not wisli to comment to-day on the treatment we have received or who is responsible for it. My committee will go into the matter very carefully, and a complete statement will be made to the public, as the citizens are entitled to the information.

"It must be understood that in the scheme that was being promoted by the Milk Committee vendors were not being put out-of business. The trade was merely being regulated in th 9 interests of the community. "One newspaper tfoie morning stated, quite wrongly, that the Bill songhtpowsr to commandeer milk within a thirtymile radius of Wellington. The clause in the Bill dealing with that subject merely proposed to give power to the Minister of Agriculture to say whether or not a factory should be erected within that area; but no power was asked for' under the Bill to compel any farmer to sell his milk to the City Council. And my committee was quite willing to drop that clause i! it was considered advisable. • . '

"I am not surprised that the milk vendors put-up strong opposition to the Bill. A great reform of this nature, However goodjt may be for the individual, is never welcomed; but lam convinced that had the milk vendors taken commercial rather than legal advice, they would have been better off. "The direct effect of the loss of the Bill will mean that the City Council has no power to "block" the city, and the consequent loss of from £12,000 to £15,----000 a year. The council has power under the Act of 1910 and its amendments to compete in business with the vendors, and under, that Act an enormous amount of work can be done, and of the greatest possible value to the citizens. "The council will not operate for profit, but the result will be a substantial reduction in the price of milk. I need hardly say that there could be no public service of greater value from the ralepayers' point of viev/- than that of the milk supply, which effects each household in exact proportion to the number of its residents. "The Milk Committee has been most careful in the nejeetion of its officers for the various departments, and there is every evidence that the organisation is most efficient. Only the most up-to-date and sanitary methods will be adopted, and no- pains will be spared to secure that the milk reaches the consumer in a pure and wholesome condition. At the same time the department will be run on a sound commercial basis.. The council's station .in capable of dealing witli the whole of -/die requirements of Wetlington."