DEARER MILK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 15

DEARER MILK

FARTHING A QUABT ROUNDSMEN TO BENEFIT WAGES CUT RESTORATION An increase of not more than Jcl a quart in the retail price of milk is to bo made so that vendors may restore the 10 per cent cut in wages to roundsmen. This decision was reached at a meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council yesterday. The increase will take effect from next Friday. The present price of ordinary milk is 5d a quart and that of bottled 5Jd. llie question of higher wages for roundsmen has been under discussion for some time, and a resolution passed in December stated that the council was in favour of restoration of the 10 per cent cut, but that the cost must be borne by the vendors out of the margin allowed. Last week it was decided to defer consideration until the position was referred to the Executive Commission of Agriculture. The Present Margin A motion to rescind these resolutions and to increase the retail price of milk by id a quart and the wholesale price of quantities of less than 10 gallons a clay by Id a gallon was moved by Mr. 1. Massey yesterday. He stated that figures had shown that the vendors could not restore the cuts out of their present margin, while employees had been suffering for months under a reduced rate of wages, although' other workers had had their cuts restored. The chairman, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, stated that if the council had been granted the additional amendments to the Act asked for, but which were deferred pending the hearing before the Executive Commission of Agriculture, no increase in the price of milk would have been necessary. However, it would take some time for the amendments to be put through Parliament and the economies that could be made under the amendments could not be put into effect for several months. Meeting Additional Expense He therefore moved the following amendment: —" That, having examined the costs submitted, the council is of the opinion that vendors are not in a position to bear the restoration of the 10 per cent cut out of their present margin. Having regard to this, the council, on receipt of an undertaking signed by employers of labour who hold licences from the council that they will restore all wages cuts to their employees, or their agreement to an award for that purpose, will make provision by amended price fixation to meet the additional expense involved, but not so as to increase the retail price of milk by more than id a quart." The measure was purely temporary' until Parliament passed the amendments asked for, Mr. Hutchison explained. When these were passed the council could effect economies that would enable it to provide milk probably cheaper than durins the past 12 months. The public was heing asked to make a temporary sacrifice in paying Id a quart more The amendment, was carried. The question of the odd farthing in sales of single quarts will be considered later.