MILK DELIVERY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17614, 19 October 1917, Page 2

MILK DELIVERY.

BLOCK SYSTEM CONDEMNED. A public meeting, convened by the Linwood Burgesses" Association, ' was held in the Rolleston Street Hall last night to discuss the proposed introduction of the block system of milk delivery. Mr J. Roberts, who presided, roundly condemned the proposed system, as one that* could not lead to economy or p-<ire milkMr A. M. Loasby said that the war had been made a stalkinsr horse by the milkmen, who were goinsr to secure an absolute monopoly without giving the slightest reduction in price. The block system would not secure pure milk, and it was important to strive for that end, because the greater part of the consumption in the ■ hospitals was caused through the drinking of tubercular milk in infancy. _ Mr D. G. Sullivan said that the system was not at all desirable, ftnd in adopting it the City Council was attacking personal liberty. There were, however, a number of warerers op tho subiect. in the council, and the expressioti of public hostility would effect th* killino- of the Act. The council had no riah't to adopt such a coercive measure, n"d the people would not tolerat? it. V Hear, hear. 1 ) There was no control over the wholesale sunplier. who be confidently expected to increase his price in winter, as m the past, and the increase would be passed on. Wellington had had the courage to go in for a mnwcrnal supplv Christchurch should kill the block system, and educate the people to the benefits of the greater reform. Mr T. S Dacre moved—" That this meeting of residents, of JA™aaA ana Avouside, bem* convinced that the introduction of the block system of milk suoply would be against the best, interests of the people, as such a scheme would deorive the consumer of .th? libertv of choice, and create an iinjust monopolv in the Hands of a few private persons, would stifle trade rivalrv and ™uld not improve tho tmalitv of <he milk sunnbM emnhnt'oallv protests against the mtn« scheme, and requests the, Citv Council to the resolution in favour of its introduction and to dvon the Bill now before the House of Reprose n+ ' flt,ves .' designed to empower the council to mtrodi.ee the. system." rointed out that the Bill limited tho «ale to residents or occupiers, and suoh terms were verv strictly construed in law. It would be impossible to buv milk from another milkman if the allotted milkman tailed to turn up. „ ~ Mr M. Clark seconded the Mr R. Emmett, a dairyman of thirtv years' experience, said that although the block svstem appeared to be an ideal one for the dairyman, he had come to oppose it. He had first given it his support, believing that it would conserve man-power, but he found it to be unwarrantable, unsystematic and opnosed to the public intero-*. "Mr A. W. Jamieson said that Mr H. Bliss intended to call a public meeting in Linwood to'explain the system in detail. He denied that it was a monopoly. The price would b e 'fixed in conference, or, failing an agreement, by a magistrate. It offered a measure of control that the city lacked at present. and would make for efficiency and economy. f , After some discussion, in which the hop? was expressed that the other side should be heard, the motion was carried by a large majority, an ameidment that the vote should be held over being defeated.