HOSPITAL FARM

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6185, 16 September 1921, Page 5

HOSPITAL FARM

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE

COWS’?

INSTITUTION BUYS MILK

Scarcely a meeting of the Hospital Board is held nowadays but comment is made on the Board’s latest experiment, a farm, and yesterday was no. exception to the rule. Mr DeCosta started the discussion by asking what was the matter with the milk supply from the farm. Last month lie had signed cheques for £l2 and this month cheques for £ll 18s for additional milk supplied to the He had inquired of the fann manager how many cows were milked. He was told there were twenty-four cows but only twelve decent ones . The speaker thought the others should therefore be sold. They used in the institution about 1000 gallons a. month. On the farm they had- 40 or 50 pigs, which were sold on commission. He did not' suggest milk was being given 'to the pigs. There did however, seem a big snortage of milk. With 24 cows he did. not see why they should be- stuck for milk and have to go outside to buy it. He was rung up by the farm manager, and was asked why he complained and he explained the position to the manager. The manager said the farm committee had turned a deaf ear to his appeal lor more cows. He had told the speaker that Mr McCliskie visited the farm once a month and that Mr Gibson had visited' the farm four times and Mr Matthews twice since the farm was started. Four or five gallons of milk were separated for cream for the -hospital. The manager had said he would like to come before the Board and give his opinion, and thespeaker would like to see Inm in the room. With a 74-acre farm the speaker considered there should ea sily he enough milk for Ike institution, Then again why should they employ a man at £3 a week when they could get one at £2. If tlie cows were no good the committee should get rid of them. The chairman: Does Mr DeCosta think it proper to go [behind the committee and cross-examine the manager p Mr DeCosta: I would like to put you right. I The chairman: I am only asking a question. Do you think it right to pursue that course*. Mr DeCosta; When I' signed that cheque yesterday I wanted to know how many cows were being milked. Who else could I ask but the Farm committee. I got a ring from the farm manager.' y Mr Spence (to the chairman): Does that answer your question?

The chairman: No. Mr DeCosta: I did not- ring him upThe chairman: It was to my mind absolutely improper for you to listen to him.

J Mr Sherratt said he agreed with I wliat Mr DeCosta said: With 24 cows they should get a monthly yield of ' 1440 gallons. He thought Mr. DeCosta was quite within his rights in asking about the cows. * The chairman: That’s a matter of . opinion. > The secretary in reply to a ques- . tion said the average amount of milk required for the institution was 1200 i gallons a month. In round figures | they bought 110 gallons during the ! month.

Mr Sherratt: There should have . been a surplus from the farm, i Mr Gibson, a member of the Farm Committee, said it was a very hard | matter to get a good milk supply ! during winter. The dairymen in town had difficulty in getting sufficient , milk. They forgot the surplus milk | was sometimes sold for butter fat.

“If this pin-pricking between members of the Board and the Farm committee is going to continue,” said Mr Gibson, “the sooner we quit the farm the better. If it- was the best proposition in the Bay it would, never be a success. under such conditions. I say it will he a success if we give it a fair chance and have the confidence of the members of the Board.” Mr Spence said he understood the farm had been left in the- hands of a committee to see liow it worked out. Mr DeCosta repeated that lie did not ask for the explanation from the farm manager. Mr Gibson: You’re undermining Mr McCliskie’s authority altogether. Mr Sherratt suggested that Mr McCliskie should he asked to make inquiries regarding the milk supply If the 24 cows did not give enough milk the committee should see some of the cows. As they all knew he was not hostile to the -farm. It was decided that the Farm committee’s attention should he drawn to the fact that milk was being bought for the institution when there were 24 cows on the farm. The visiting committee dealt with farm matters in a supplementary report which read as follows:—We would like to recommend that the Hospital carpenter be asked to give an estimate of the cost of removing several buildings from the Hospital precincts to the dairy farm. We consider that these buildings could be made quite suitable for a manager’s residence. There is also plenty of wood and iron to make decent fowl houses as required at the farm. We consider - that the buildings in question are absolutely useless at the Hospital, and could bo made better use of at tho dairy farm,. After a brief discussion it was decided that Messrs Sherratt and DeCosta and the chairman should see what buildings could be transported to the farm and they were given power to act. FARM COMMITTEE’S REPORT The Farm Committee reported as follows:—The usual routine work on tlie farm has gone on and the cows are doing fairly well; but we hone to see better results as we are now having a fine spell of good growing weather, and the grass is getting ahead. We now have an abundant supply of green oats which are being carted out daily for the milking cows. We are now starting to get in our spring crops for summer and autumn supplies.- A regular supply of fat pigs are being supplied to the butchers. We have made provision for fencing material to do the most urgent work on the farm. The report was adopted DISTRICT MEDICAL OFFICER'S VIEWS. BOARD TAKES EXCEPTION TO REMARKS. „ , The matter of/ the farm had previously cropped up at the meeting, on the reading of the. following letter frqm, the District Medical Officer, Napier:— I herewith forward you two newspaper cuttings from a Gisborne paper, one referring •to the hospital milk supply aind the other to influenza, for your information. In regard to the Hospital milk farm, This farm has barely been established twelve months. There has been local opposition to_ it created by,one or two more for 'private thnn public ends. I do not know what the adverse comment in your journal actually 'amounts to, hut I note that in the synopsis of fresh reports in. our July issue it would appear. that this milk farm was an unsatisfactorv' asset to the bopsital. So far as 'I know this is not correct and "in my opinion the experiment ought‘to ho encouraged aind given a. fair deal as it is one of great advantage So large public’ hospitals

to liav© an assured supply of good and pure milk. 1 , Mr Sherratt said he thought they should communicate with the writer. He said “there has been local op.position to it ..created by one or t\vo individuals more for private than public ends.” The speaker was not going to take that lying down. He moved that ■, a letter be written to the District Health Officer and an explanation asked. The'motion was carried. . - .■■JSB*