THE PRICE OF MILK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13750, 15 May 1908, Page 7

THE PRICE OF MILK.

. AN INCREASED RATH. T A wkli.-attkndkj) meeting of dairy fanners and milk suppliers was held at Otahuhu on Wednesday evening to discuss several questions affecting' the industry. Mr. Isaac Gray, chairman of the Auckland Wholesale Milk Suppliers' Association, occupied the chair. There whs a lengthy discussion regarding the price of miLk, great dissatisfaction being expressed with the piesent contract system, whereby (lie vendors paid 7d per gallon for milk during the. period extending from September 1 to March'J, and 8d per gallon from March Ito August 31. It was decided that fresh contracts should be entered into only on a re-arrangement of prices. The following scale was fixed . — From September to January, 71 per gallon; January to April, 8d per gallon; and from April to September, 9d per gallon. It was also decided that should the Auckland vendors increase the price above 4d per quart, the suppliers should receive 50 per ccnt. of the increase. Amongst other resolutions passed was one in favour of the sale of milk by weight. A motion was also passed condemning certain clauses of the Government regulations as unreasonable, unnecessary, and impracticable. "A committee was appointedto wait on Mr. Duncan, of the Agricultural Department, and lay this matter before him. The new regulation, making a 3.25 per cent, but-ter-fat test in milk imperative, was generally referred to as being a standard impossible to attain all the year round. A city milk vendor, seen by a Hkkald representative, expressed the opinion that at the present time the suppliers were receiving a very fair price (7d for one-half of the year and 8d for the balance), which lie considered was profitable. It was impossible, he pointed out, at the present rate of wages and other expenses, for the vendor to retail the milk in small quantities at less than 4d. By paying 8d per gallon, and ictailing at 4d per quart, there was not a vendor who made more than a profit of a half-penny per gallon. Moreover, the suppliers' prospects were reasonably hopeful,