MILK STATION

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 124, 21 November 1929, Page 5

MILK STATION

FUTURE ASSUBED

OPTIMISTIC SPEECHES

Those present at the laying of the foundation-stone of the new municipal milk station in Tory street yesterday afternoon were later entertained at afternoon tea at the Town Hall by the City Council. The Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup) presided over a representative attendance of citizens.

Councillor R. A. Wright, M.P., related some amusing experiences which befell the members of the Health Committe of the council when that committee had charge of the inspection of milk in- Wellington. The Health Committee only carried out the preliminary work in connection with the scheme, and very largely it had been groping in the dark. A special committee, under the chairmanship of Mr. C. J. ]j. Norwood, had investigated the conditions under which milk was sold in 'Wellington, and it was found that they were absolutely disgraceful. The report was not published, but he ventured to say that had it been there would have been a riot in Wellington. Mr. Wright paid a generous tribute to the work carried out by Mr. Norwood, and said that^ he did not think there was another man, on the council or off it, who could have stood up to the worry which, tho job involved. The suppliers at one stage had threatened not to send their milk to Wellington at all, and tho council had had n\) alternative but to undertake some scheme. Mr. Wright also referred to the excellent work which had been carried out by the manager (Mr. R. 10. Herron), by the present chairman of the committee (Mr. W. H. Bennett), and the members of the committee.

Mr. Herron, who was received with applause, thanked Mr. Wright for the references which had been, made to his work. The business, he said, was by no means a one-man show. Every officer associated with him had worked efficiently in the best interests of the city, and he was proud to be associated with them. Personally, ho had received the greatest possible support from councillors at all times, rind that had assisted him very materially. He congratulated the council .on the wisdom it had shown in selecting the site of the new factory, and said he doubted if a better site could have been produced in Wellington. Mr. Herron said he did not have the slightest doubt about the future success of the scheme, and concluded by thanking the farmers for the loyal support they had at all times given Ao the council.

Mr. F. C. Whiteman. representing the farmers, said the City of Wellington was about to enjoy the fruits of the tree that had been planted some years ago. Up to tho present they had only had tho blossoms, and very often the blossoms had been badly affected by frosts. Many of the diiiicultics they had had to encounter in the early stages of the scheme had been due to the fact that they had no precedent to work upon. In no city in the world had such a scheme been undertaken previously. Tho hesitancy 'of the farmers in coming into the scheme in the first place could be readily understood, he thought, as all their interests were involved, but ho thought the council could rest assured now that they had all the farmers behind them. As a 'result the scheme was running along smoothly. Mr. Whiteman referred in eulogistic terms to Mr. Norwood, and said he was one of the greatest. optimists he had ever known.

Another representative of the farmers, Mr. Beauchamp, said the scheme had been fully justified in the eyes of citizens, who were now assured of a continuous supply of good, fresh milk. More than that, the producers were well satisfied, and in this connection he paid a tribute to Mr. Herron, who had done everything possible to meet the farmers.

During the afternoon a bouquet was presented to Mrs. Troup by Miss Aked a daughter of Mr. W. E. Aked, of the City Council staff, who designed the building. *