THE PRICE OF MILK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19289, 30 March 1926, Page 9

THE PRICE OF MILK.

Sir,—~X cannot allow to go unchallenged the letter on the above subject in 'Saturday's issue, by a correspondent'" signing himself "Consumer and Observer." - It is yefc another instanco of the pitiable ignoratocb of manv city dwellers in regard to farming' conditions. Becaiise moro have beon a few showers during the past three months your correspondent concludes that there must be abundance of grass. As a matter of fact the last twelve months have been about the worst ever experienced by dairy farmers, owing to unseasonable, conditions causing a shortage of feed. ■•.-If.''Consumer'! was up ogainstt ,-what raany.rcf -tho- farmers e.rc up against to-day. lie.,\vovUd not, be crying out about;t}ie prics;ho is paying for milk, He states that "many of our farmers would be glad to get anything round about one shilling par 'gallon wholesale, for it/" as if this : was a most remunerative -price! Has ;he ever v in'quired what it costs to produce a gallon of milk, , especially, via: a bad .season ,lika the present ? „no! Like ;|n.iny -.another with an . imaginary grievance he rushes ,j j) s t<? .p'fint , without .first , malting himself s 'acquainted with facts. As a matter "of fact njilk should hayo, been sejling at. 8d a quart this season,,,as lit has been in Sydney. So "Con&umer'.' may congratulate himself that .ho. has been lot down so .lightly! Ho, ijpggests that "it is about time a meeting di consumers was called to see what can ba done in the matter." Far better for him go intelligently into the question, and he will.find that the fanners are not receiving too high a price for their milk, quite the reverse, and considering the cost and labour of production "it is the cheapest article of diet he has on his table to-day.- Supplies.

Sir,—Reading the letter of "Consumer and in issud, makes ono wondor whether to bo amused', annoyed, or'saddened.; I did not think there was a person in New Zealand who was so ignorant of the funny little ways of cows as to- imagine that'a "few hours" gentle rain from heaven at this season of the year Would cause them to'flush up in milk. No, sir, it simply isn't done in the best bovine circles, and I see no hope on that score of a drop in the .price of-milk. s T-have no axe to grind,* as I am not milking for town supply, but am one of those poor, deluded beings known as V toutterfat coekies." When Vour correspondent falls foul of the retailer's profit on milk, I am with him all the way. It is nothing short of shameful that milk should' double in price between the producer? and the consumer. The retailer will argue that he is obliged to pay award wages to his roundsmen—about £4 10s per week of 32 hours or less, plus certain allowances and commissions.. Well, "there's the rub." " Award wages " for all trades, and for this, that,' pind the other simple labouring jobs, are the curse of this fair land. Industrial fpeacti is dearly bought at tht< price the community has to pay. Tliie country lives, in the rftain, on grass, and all the intricate labour awards do not increase the growth by so - much as a handful; ' Our greatest national need is a political party in power with strength arijl, courage suifj. dent . to cancel all labour " awards. " A period of industrial chaos might result, but only for a time, and freedom in labour would be worth it. The trades unions would bo well able to care for tho interests of their members without legislative backing, wherever they had a good case, and if a few strikes occurred, all the better. Just a taste of "hard lines'" would be healthy medicine for many who are now sheltering under various " awards." Let ns have freedom of contract, and then we might get " a fair day's work for a fair day's pay;" ; 1 COWCOX'I'ACOPPA.