MILK FOR WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18171, 17 August 1922, Page 9

MILK FOR WELLINGTON.

MUNICIPAL SUPPLY SCHEME. REASONS FOR ITS ADOPTION. WORKING OF THE SYSTEM. A review of the Wellington City Council's milk supply system was given yesterday by Mr. C. B. Norwood, a member of the council and cliairman of its milk committee, who is Ti-isiting Auckland. In stating the reasons why tho council decided to enter into the milk business Mr. Norwood said the trouble caused through private enterprise not supplying half tho requirements of the city in tho coldest months came to a head a little over three years" ago. A committee, of which he was chairman, was appointed by the council to. inquire into the position. It reported that tho vendors of milk in the city, 84 in number, had not the individual financial strength to make contracts ahead assuring the fanner a remunerative price for producing winter milk, and for the same reason they were unable to arrange the necessary improvement in transit facilitie 8 to ensure the delivery of. the milk in the city in a pure and wholesome state. The conditions under which the vendor companies were holding and treating the milk preparatory to distribution were so unsatisfactory that the committee stated that immediate action must be taken in tho interest of health. The council, Mr. Norwood said, did not possess the power to compensate the vendors in monetary payment for the loss of their business, so it cut up the city into blocks, thus avoiding overlapping in delivery and effecting an estimated caving of £15,500 a year, which was more than the amount required for compensation. The vendors were grouped into email companies, with shares in proportion to tho amount of milk they had been vending, and tho council became the sole purchaser of the milk from the fanners and made all-the-year-round contracts with them and all transit contract*. The milk was all tested npon arrival in the city and only tli at of cood quality was passed on for distribution; any considered to be below standard, being separated and turned into marketable commodities, such as buttei and cheese. The vendor received 7d a gallon for distribution, which was estimated to give him a fair profit in addition to compensating him for his plant and goodwill, spread over three years. The contracts expired last month, when the council took over the whole of the distribution. The most up-to-date machinery was imported and installed in tht> council's station and the bottle system of distribution adopted. Whereas, after the first year, people forgot the troubles of old and severely criticised the councils scheme, Mr. Norwood said that since the bottle system was started he had been inundated with complimentary letters from all parts of the city and he was satisfied the scheme, as it now stood, was a great boon to the community. The milk was pasteurised on a scientific: basis, and the cream line on the bottle, when the householder received it before breakfast every morning, made a great appeal, while not the least important point was that full measure was assured. When one considered what an efficient germ-carrier milk was, there could be no doubt ateut the value of pasteurisation and the bottle system. "The question of municipalising the milk supply in any city depends entirely upon the conditions prevailing in that particular city," concluded Mr. Norwood. "Auckland is in the favourable position first of having fertile land all around its fringe, whereas in Wellington milk had to be brought over long distances. Again, Auckland is in the fortunate position that a grejf. portion of the milk supply is in the hands of large and well-financed companies, which are able to secure for their consumers a regular all-the-year-round supply. These are conditions which must, be considered seriously before interfering with private enterprisa There is on<i point, however, my experience has shown me, and that is that the public cannol; be properly protected in the delivery of this important food until a sealed container ia adopted, stamped with the daY on which it is filled for distribution." '