MILK SUPPLIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 15

MILK SUPPLIES

EXTENT OF CONTROL LOCAL BILLS REJECTED GENERAL ACTION HINTED DEMAND FOR REGULATION [by TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Friday Divergent vievrs on the results wh'ch had followed thr* establishment of the Metropolitan Milk Council in Auckland were expressed in the House of Representatives to-day when the Local Bills Committee reported adversely on three measures seeking to set up similar schemes in Hastings, Napier and Timaru. The recommendation of the committee on the three bills was that they should not be allowed to proceed this session, and a long discussion on the general rspects of the milk control issue developed. Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Labour — Christchureh East) said he believed firmly that in the very near future Parliament should grapple with the problem of milk supply, not only in places which were asking for legislation. but throughout the country. Difficulties of Producers Mr. A. K. Ansel) (Government— Chalmers) said it was quite evident that producers of milk were havjng a particularly hard time and were endeavouring to organise to obtain higher prices for their milk. On the other hand, there was a good deal of antagonism 011 the part of local bodies to such a proposal, for they believed that the outcome would be an increase in the price of milk to consumers. That did not necessarily follow, and a good deal could be done which would be of benefit to both producers and consumers. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Independent— Wanganui) said Auckland had made an attempt to deal with the problem, but the experiment was not old enough for one either to condemn or support it. Obviously', there was a case for general legislation. Hp would not go so far as to advocate general control of the whole situation. The committee was congratulated on its report by Mr. A. Harris (Government —Waitema.ta), who said its finding was in striking contrast to that of the committer which considered Inst year the Auckland Milk Bill. It also contrasted with that of the Industries and Commerce Committee, which had considered the measure aiming at the repeal of the latter bill. The Hastings bill was a counterpart of the Auckland bill, which had proved so disastrous to Auckland.

"Deplorable Disaster" "As far as Auckland is concerned, control there has been an outstanding and deplorable disaster," said Mr. Harris. "Outside the interested parties vendors, producers of milk and a few members on the council —one cannot find anyone who does not pray night and morning for repeal of the Auckland Milk Act." (Laughter.) Mr. Harris said the report of the committee would be hailed with siatisfaction by the people of Hastings when they realised what a narrow escapi? they had had from thp experience of Auckland. The whole thing had beeiti such a shocking disaster so far as Auckland was concerned that the sooner it was wiped out the better. "I hope the war-like attitude of the member for Wnitemata is not going to involve us in international complications," remarked the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. M. J. Savage, who said he was not going to admit that the scheme at Auckland had been a failure, but he was prepared to say that the situation mighit not have been handled as well as it should have been. He did not think Auckland was in the state that Mr. Harris would like the House to believe. Some Control Necessary

The distribution of milk should be controlled so as to assist the agriculturalist, and it should also be seen that women and children received adequate supplies. Mr. Harris appeared to have developed a state of mind which was not to be found among the people of Auckland. Mr. Savage thought it would be agreed that something'in tho nature of control was necessary in the interests of the producer and consumer. Tlip view that an inquiry into milk delivery in the main centres was necessary was expressed by Mr. R. A. Wright (Independent —Wellington Suburbs), who said that in Wellington the position had been overcome by municipal control. The chairman of the committee, Mr. A. E. Jull (Government —Waipawa'* said the committee had recognised that throughout the country there was a demand for some regulation of supplies. It was felt that this demand necessitated something more than a measure of local application. Instead of the House being deluged by a series of local bills, the Government, after an inquiry had been made, might see fit to introduce legislation of a general character. The report on the Hastings bill was then tabled Following the presentation of the report on the Napier and Suburbs Milk Bill, Mr W. E. Barnard (Labour — Napier ' said ho took no exception to the findings of the committee, but nevertheless the problem still remained to be dealt with. As the Government was shortly to consider the dairying question, it would do well to consider also the question of internal milk supplies. , A similar report on the Tmiaru District Milk Bill was also tabled.