MILK SELLERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 121, 23 May 1919, Page 7

MILK SELLERS.

many difficulties faced, j

Speaking at a meeting of wholesale milk sellers in Christchurch last week, Mr H. Bliss, jun., stated that owing to the high cost of winter p"o----duftion, dairymen were keeping their cows in milk'in the autumn months. It was necessary in order to encourage wnter milking that a fair return should be obtained. He bad estimated the cost of production during the five winter month*. It would take two tons of hay for one cow at £4 10s a ton, mangels at 30s a ton, a- cow cover (which would last two seasons) 15s, mailing a ; total cost of £ls 15s. He went on to ray that during the winter a cow’s milk output was low. Taking this at two gallons per day, at Is 4d per gallon, there would be a return in the five ' months of £2O Bs, leaving a margin of £4 13s. On a 20-cow farm the return in five months would be £93.. Against this, labour at 30s per week would cost £4B, so that the return to the dairyman to meet his expenses was £2 8s per week. In Wellington the wholesale price was Is 6d per gallon and Wellington city had to obtain part of its milk from. Napier and, part from Taranaki. A Welington City Council committee had found that the shortage was due to the prices paid by the dairy factories in the summer, when the 'dairyman could obtain a flush of milk. This position was duplicated in Christchurch. The meeting decided to increase the price of milk to Is 4d per gallon from Ist June.'