VERY CANDID

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 95, 23 April 1931, Page 13

VERY CANDID

CRITIC CRITICISED

CITY'S MILK SUPPLY

Councillor W. H. Bennett, chairman of the Milk. Committee, a councillor with 16 years' service, and' again a candidate for office, is recognised "by Ms fellow councillors as a mild man, except when ho considers there is reason for pepperyness. Last oveningyho indicated at St. Thomas's, Hall, Newtown, ' that an occasion had arisen for very candid speaking. ■ During the week, ho said, one of the candidates for the City Council had mado wild and unfounded state-, incuts regarding the quality of milk supplied .by .the council. : ' "Candidates who speak in tins way ought.to be ashamed,of.-themselves unless they have gone into tho matter and made at least some investigations to entitle them to speak.'' The records, the tests, and-tho books would be available to them for investigation, and they would be more capable of standing on any'platform and criticising what was being done and what was not, being done; "... •...',.■ "When a man comes on to a plattorm and says that we are -taking dirtymilk and .■pasteurising..it-.to mako it safe" said- Mr. Bennett, "then I say that ho is not a fit candidate for your votes; ho is a fit candidate, for Ponrua. I am speaking feelingly, because I have spent twelve years upon., the work of that department, and I know that it is the most successful municipal department launched m the southern hemisphere." ' \. ; CHAIRMAN TOO MODEST. Councillor H.. A. Huggins said that as a member of the Milk Committee ho could say that Councillor Bennett had been altogether too modest of his part in the department's progress and the value of the city scheme to the people of ; Wellington. The Wellington milk supply scheme was looked upon as tho acme of perfection, and every month letters' were received ~, from abroad, from America, Australia, and Canada, from municipalities iind other bodies desirous of doing as Wellington has, done. He went into some'detail to support his contention that thojWellington milk supply was of the highest standard of quality and purity, and by virtue of the low "temperature.process of ! pasturisation, thoroughly safe while maintaining full food value. " "■■'.' "IT WASN'T ME.", Mr. W. Duncan said that he had criticised the Milk Department, but it was not he who had said that the council was treating dirty milk. ..; ;... ■..' "I am going to say now'that the milk system is the finest in the world, but a lot of improvement can be made," ho said. "We are paying too much for our milk because overhead expenses are too high. Another thing, we are getting our milk twenty-four hours after it leaves the cow. London, with seven million- people, gets fresher milk than we do.'' ■ "' ■ ..-■•■ •The chairman, Sir John Luke, said that Councillor W. H. Bennett deserved the very best thanks and support of Wellington people, for he was a councillor who had done the job./ Mr. Bennett remarked later that he would be'pleased to meet all candidates for municipal and Hospital Board honours at the now milk', station on Monday morning at 10,30, so that they may bo fully informed on this undertaking beforo again criticising its operations/