HOSPITAL MILK

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1920, Page 9

HOSPITAL MILK

ATTITUDE OP CITY COUNCIL AN EXPLANATION. An explanation regarding tho difficulty which has arisen between the City Council's Milk Department and the Hospital. Board regarding the supply of milk to the hospital. ha 6 been given by the Assistant General Manager (Mr. H. A. Ward) and was read by Councillor Bennett at last night's meeting of the City Council. The Board complained that the council would not supply milk at the price paid by vendors, and the council'saction was described as extraordinary. Further than that, there appeared to be some doubt as to the authority oi the communication to the board.

Mr. Ward states that in November or December last he offered to give the house steward five gallons of milk per day free of charge so that he could compare it with the milk then being received at the hospital. This offer was not taken advantage of, and on 23rd January the house steward asked for information regarding price, etc. Mr. Ward replied in these terms: —"My department will supply the quantity stated (110 gallons per day) at a price not exceeding 2d per gallon over and above the price that- is being charged to the vendors, which price may be altered from time to time, the present price being Is 5d per gallon. My department would not undertake to deliver the milk." He stated that the council would supply cans and keep same clean at a charge of 6d per month per can, and, further, that if the board obtained its milk direct from 3. farm it would have to secure exemption from the provisions of the Wellington Milk Supply Act, 1919.

"I received no acknowledgment to_ the above letter, either verbal or otherwise,"? stated Mr. Ward. "It is reported that one of the councillors stated he thought it was a scandal that one public body could not supply another public body with milk, and the Chairman of the Hospital Board stated that my department would not supply milk to the hospital at the same price as charged to vendors. Paragraph C, section 1, clause 5, of the agreement entered into by the corporation with the milk vendors reads: 'To consumers ordinarily requiring over 20 gallons at such a price as shall allow a difference of 2d and no more per gallon between the price paid by the corporation and the price paid to the consumers.' The selling difference is set out for the wholesale quality which, the hospital would require. Clause 18 of the agreement, •which reads as follows : The corpora/tion shall not sell milk or cream to any person or company on terms as to the price more favourable than are contained in this agreement,' confirms my statement as to price as forwarded to the house steward.

"I may further point out that under clause 6 of the Wellington City Milk Supply Act, the .corporation may, if it so wishes, absolutely prohibit the supply of milk to the hospital being obtained from any other source but the department. .... I have written to the Health Department asking it to obtain specimens both from Strand's milk and our own milk with, a view to having a bacteriological examination tnad6 ot both." The statement was not discussed by councillors.