THE MILK SUPPLY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17529, 12 July 1917, Page 8

THE MILK SUPPLY.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —With your kind permission, I should like to say a few' words ‘on the above subject, not by any means in a spirit of unjust criticism, ‘hut to be enlightened as to lipw the following objections would be dealt with under the block system. In practice it would bo found that in every block there would be customers who like their milk delivered in time for an early breakfast or for baby’s first bottle, and others, who, being late risers, and not liking their milk delivered and left on the doorstep, prefer to get it in time for a later breakfast. The wishes of each of theso groups of customers are perfectly legitimate, but if one man supplied “the entire block in which they reside I cannot see how tin's difficulty is to bo overcome. You know nobody likes to buy a pig in a poke, and every housewife is fully justified in her wish to see the milk trans-

ferred from tho milkman’s can into her own. Then, again, how often docs it happen that a housewife finds herself in need of extra mills after her own milkman’s call? Under present arrangements she watches for another milk-' man, who in nino cases out of ten is able and willing to supply her. . In view of the fact that milk is, of all commodities, perhaps tho one of which cue can least lay up a reserve stock, 1 think it would be perfectly dreadful if it could only be obtained at one psychological moment in each day, and I cannot for obvious reasons accept tho suggestion that you can get extra milk “ at tho shop at the corner.” It may have been only an oversight on the part of Air Blis3 when replying' to Mr Loasby’s letter that, in dealing with that gentleman’s second question, he states, “that tho result of a conference between members of the City Council and of the Dairymen’s Association will, after all, ■ he determined by the men elected by the City Council.'’ I think Air Bliss might have used tho word “members” instead of “men,' thereby suggesting tho inclusion of the lady member of the council as a matter

of course, and of courtesy, as one of the council’s delegates, especially as she lias already shown such a keen interest in the subject, a subject which primarily concerns “ woman’s kingdom, the home.” "While on the subject of Air Bliss's letter, I could wish that he hail suggested a practical solution of the ott reiterated complaint that the night’s milk is delivered the next morning, and that really fresh milk is something wo seldom get. in conclusion, I should like to express my sympathy with dairymen m their arduous work, and my admiration of the way tho stick to it, and also to suggest that they should at once inaugurate a rigid cash system, which would greatly minimise the drawbacks f their calling.—l am, etc., A WET/LAVISH ER OF DAIRYMEN AND PUBLIC.