THE PRICE OF MILK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21400, 26 January 1933, Page 13

THE PRICE OF MILK

Sir,—ln his reply to my letter Mr. Littlejolm blames mo for bringing in the North Shore Milk Producers' Association. It was Mr. Littlejolm who first mentioned the association. It is the spring and summer surplus which causes the necessity for pooling the town trade price with the price of butter-fat milk. The consumer demands his daily pint or quart, irrespective of the vagaries of the season or the productive inclinations of Daisy and Bultercup, and this demand the successful farmer must, by systematic cropping and efficient herd management, endeavour to meet. Why the farmer who succeeds in producing an even quantity all the year round and so secures a satisfactory market should pool and help carry the burden of low-priced surplus produced by those who fail to do this Mr. Littlejolm does not show. His statement that the outside farmers benefit through the association is pure fiction, as their price has remained stablo throughout, being one-half the retail, less cartage, which has been the usual thing in the trade for many yeiirs, the net price varying, of course, with the location Q.f the farm. I maintain that for milk surfl for the town trado the North Shore farmers are receiving much more than the 5d quoted by Mr. Littlejolm. Albany. F. N. Battersby.

Sir, —For those outside the trade it must bo rather puzzling to understand tho great divergence of views expressed by correspondents writing on above matter. That the farmer who has to sell round about 5d per gallon is not getting a fair run seems obvious. That the consumer, in paying 20d per gallon is paying too much seems obvious enough also. Now about those well-meaning people who would reform the whole system so as to ma.ko a moro even distribution of profits. Where do they propose to make a start ? The overlapping of distribution — the procession of milkmen traversing every street at all hours—should be the first phase of the business to be rectified. To do so the block system of delivery would have to be established. How is this to be brought about ? Only by oho big control that- would have power to order and regulate and direct the whole milk supply and the army of vendors who are now operating in and about the city. With comparatively few exceptions these vendors aro wholly or partially dependent on the big companies for their supply. They pay the companies per gallon and havo a margin of 9£d to work on. Surely anyone outside an armchair knowledge of what they are writing aboutwill not say this is too much remuneration for the vendor, who has to work for the 365 nights of the year and meet tho usual crop of bad debts. On the other hand, are the companies getting too much ? Well, then, tho only way is to establish a municipal milk controi. This should bo a splendid idea. And on a cash basis, too. No bad debts and no overlapping. Milk should be very cheap then. But what do wo find when we go to Wellington ? Why, it is 5d per quart there also. So wo end whero we began. Pilgrim of the Night.