EXTRAORDINARY POSITION
(FROM OUR OWN COKRBSPONDENT.)
SYDNEY, 22nd February. An extraordinary positioif exists today in regard to Sydney's milk supply. The city isateiost without milk, and by this time to-morrow—so the threat goes -~it will be wholly without. 'The farmers are refusing to send their milk to tho market, Several months ago the milk producers told the Government authorities j, woeful tale about drought conditions and hand-feeding, and they ■were allowed to chaTge a higher price for milk They went happily along on that very hrgb price until a couple of weeks ago, ,when the new Profiteering Prevention Court pointed out that for mouths past the pastoralists, followiug on the bountiful rains which marked the breaking of. the da-ought, had enjoyed a most prosperous- season. - The price of milk was thereupon reduced. "
A most doleful howl followed. The dairy farmers, it was declared, would be ruined. Tho Court replied by pointing out that the city consumer paid just twice the amo'int for milk that the producer received; the balance went into the hands of two or three rings of middlemen, the continued existence of vrhich was a pu&TTc scandal. If the producers wanted more, they should wipe out the middlemen and -establish . a closer connection between production a.id consumption.
The "Grand Council of the Milk Suppliers' Association of New South Wales" duly met and considered the matter, with tho result thai, the farmers were allowed to "take individual action according to their judgment." If it bo true that there was no concerted action taken, it is a renarkable tact that Sydney awoke on Monday to lincl itself practically without milk. Individual action according to judgment was taken with wonderful unanimity. However, they dodged the' law, which would have made ■concerted action a subject for prosecution. ™ •
Trade unionists, who have always been cursed by the farmers for refusing to accept industrial awards, are not losing this opportunity of pointing out that the farmers themtelv.w are just as great sinnera. r
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 51, 1 March 1921, Page 7
Word Count
329EXTRAORDINARY POSITION Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 51, 1 March 1921, Page 7
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