LANCINGS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1918. THE MILK MUDDLE

Free Lance, Volume XVII, Issue 916, 1 February 1918, Page 8

LANCINGS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1918. THE MILK MUDDLE

Here shal- the Press the People's right maintain Unawed by principle and unbribed by gain; Here patriot Truth her glorious precepts draw Pledged to Beligion, Liberty, and Law

A Novel Suggestion.

AS an example of "how not to do it,'?. commend us to the miserable bungling in connection with the hastily discarded Milk Clearing House System. The Mayor and the members of the Health Committee are simply wasting time in endeavouring to explain away the mismanagement and muddling generally which have characterised municipal interference with the system of milk supply and distribution. The public was undoubtedly led to believe by the civic authorities that a satisfactory solution of the problem would be effected by the institution of the. Clearing House. Well, we '' all know how disastrously that experiment ended. What the experiment will cost the. much-suffering ratepayers remains howeverjto be seen. It will-be a pretty penny or we shall be greatly mistaken. Meanwhile, a triangular : duel has been -proceeding in the local press, with the result that the consumer simply "dunno where 'e are." The old system- has been reverted to, and Mr. Henry Bodley has, no doubt, indulged in a sardonic grin of amused contempt. Everyone concerned blames some - one else for the collapse, but,' meanwhile, Wellington householders are getting what is notoriously the poorest quality of milk served out to any community in the Dominion; What is to be done? Is the old system to be allowed" to stand, with all its wastefulness in .the cost of distribution? Is the Clearing House System to be given another trial under improved conditions? Or shall we adopt Mr. Greville's suggestion of the Bottle and Block System? ■* •» * * A correspondent jocularly suggests that the system in vogue in Genoa, Naples, and other Italian cities he has visited be adopted here. Signor Bodleyeriho, T of La Bella Napoli, sends round no milk carts to disturb his customers' slumbers between five and six a.m. The Italian milk vendor simply drives round his cow —or goat—from door to door, and milks the animal in 'the street. The process may be slow but it appears to give satisfaction, and at least there is to be said for it, that the - consnnier knows he is getting the genuine■ article, without anyboracic or similar alleged "preservatives." Also he has some chance of getting milk on which, after a while, there may be some cream. Wellington milk, so far as our personal observation goes, is permanently creamless. The cream may evaporate during this process of distribution or some stray cat may appropriate the delicacy whilst "Milk Oh" is going to the kitchen door. But cream is a missing quantity so far as the consumer is concerned. «• # * * We might suggest tha-t if the Council is still anxious to go into the milk business it might do worse than to give the Italian system a trial. The spec-

tacle of Mayor Luke or Councillors Wright and Luckie piloting the moo cows round the city streets in the early hours of the morning would be a. novel and inspiring spectacle. The Mayor and Councillor Wright, assisted by Councillor Castle —if the latter can but drag himself away from his pet monkeys, emus, etc., etc. —might take •charge of the their town round; Councillor Frost would, of course, devote his attention to his beloved Brooklyn, whilst the dapper figure of Councillor Luckie could perambulate Kelburn. And look at the opportunities the municipal milk vendors would have for a little quiet vote canvassing.