SOURCE OF SUPPLY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 129, 28 November 1923, Page 15

SOURCE OF SUPPLY

MILK FOR THE CITY

The disadvantage in which Wellington is placed regarding its milk-supply source was pointed out to Eotarians yesic™av r by the manager of the Municipal Milk Department (Eotarian B, E. .Herron). Being almost entirely surrounded by sea,_ harbour, and high hills, the latter mainly unsuitable for the production of milk, Wellington had to reach out a much greater distance for its milk supply than had any of the remaining principal cities of the Dominion. "During the summer season," said the manager, _ the outside of Wellington's supply area is approximately three times and' during the winter season five times, the distance the supply area is away from any one of the remaining cities of the Dominion. Another suitable reminder of this difference is found in the fact that there are butter factories situated actually within the cities of Auckland, Christ-' church, and Dunedin, whereas the nearest butter factory- to ■ Wellington is situated at Otaki, 47 miles distant. The distance from producer to consumer necessarily influences the selling price of milk, as, obviously, transport adds direct-, iy to the cost, and indirectly also, inasmuch 1 that higher standards of quality. and condition have to be provided for on account of the milk deteriorating whilst being transported over tha considerable distances, it has to be brought. "I think we might conclude that the first duty of the department is to obtain with due regularity the necessary supply of milk required by the city. It will no doubt be recollected by those of you who were residents' of Wellington for a- few years prior to 1910 that the city was for a long period suffering from, almost what might be described as a milk,famine, such being emphasised by • ,„, «*. hat aB-e«rJy as 1910 the original. Wellington City Milk Supply Art was enacted although many ye^rs passed before the Corporation was able to take any practical steps to cope with tnei needs of the situation. A fresh Act, ' under which the Corporation holds its present authority, was passed in 1919, which seems to suggest that nine years after the original Bill was passed tha necessity of obtaining a suitable supply of milk for the city still existed 'It might naturally, be asked what wag tho. reason for this shortage and, although I cannot speak with any definite authority on this matter, as I was not during the period under review.'specially t interested in the milk supply -of Wellington, it can, I think, be assumed that the main reasons for the shorta-re were_on account of lack of encouragement to the producers in the matter of the prices paid by the milk vendors, as against the better prospects of sheepfarming (at any rate on the hilly lands adjacent to Wellington) and of supplying butter and cheese factories on the other side of the Rimutaka and Paekakariki Hills, where the lands are more suitable for dairying; also the lack of transport organisation. There can be no question but that the Corporation by its methods of purchase and by paying fair prices has induced the necessary supply of milk to the city and has therefore succeeded m this respect."