MORE MILK SOLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22961, 12 February 1938, Page 18

MORE MILK SOLD

INCREASE LAST TEAR

IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY

LOWER BACTERIA COUNT

Gratification with tho increased consumption and tho lower bacteria content of tho milk supplied was expressed at tho fourth annual meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council yesterday. Tho report stated thnt tho total amount of milk sold was 7,833,744 gallons, compared with 6,499,876 gallons for tho previous year. Purely milk sale 3 showed an increase of 1,148,719 gallons and purely cream sales were reduced by 2880 gallons. For. the first timo milk was supplied to schools throughout the year and because of this the milk distribution to schools advanced from 77,085 gallons to 314,679 gallons. The general increase wfts also partly accounted for by tho increased consumption of milk in milk bars, for although oxact figures could not bo obtained, it was known that milk consumption from this source was increasing. Ono bar in tho city sold more than 30,000 gallons a year.

During the year 5362 samples of milk and cream wero taken, and the average over all samples showed the result of 4.52 per cent of fat, 9.0 per cent solids not fat, and 70,000 bacteria colonies. Tho report stated that when it was realised that in the first few months of the council's testing operations the bacteria count of shops averaged as much as 668,000 colonies, consumers must recognise how valuable was this service. In other branches of the trade the counts had also been far too high, although tho position was not so serious as was the case with milk shops. Tho chairman, Mr. I. J. Goldstine, said there could not be the slightest doubt that the increase in consumption of milk -was beneficial to the public, who were obviously realising tho nutriment value of milk. The testing was in addition to that of the Health Department and it was particularly gratifying to see the results of the work in the decreased bacteria count.

OPINION OF PUBLIC CONSOLIDATION AND ZONING A REFERENDUM SUGGESTED Doubt whether the public was satisfied with the consolidation and zoning of milk supply areas effected by the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council was expressed at the fourth annual meeting of the council yesterday by Mr. E. F. Andrews, one of the City Council and consumers' representatives. Mr. Andrews announced his intention of moving at the next meeting of the council that a referendum be taken in the consolidated and protected areas to determine whether the consumers were satisfied with the service given and whether they couid suggest any improvements.

"No more districts have been zoned 'since the end of ?1936," stated the annual report. "On the whole these .zones have worked very satisfactorily. Isolated complaints have beeri'received, particularly in the last month or two, when it must be admitted that conditions have been very difficult. In one zone investigation showed the vendor to have been careless and ho was dealt with sternly. "Consolidation was stopped about the middle of the year. Consolidation in 1937, prior to the cessation, involved 1795 gallons and 9898 customers. The saving Jirt mileage was 747} daily. It should be noted that the public receives no benefit from consolidation: in zoned areas it receives a reduction of id a quart, which is equal to over £SOOO a year. It may be again mentioned that zoning reduced the mileage covered by vendors frcm 314 daily to 140 miles."

Mr. Andrews said his experience of meeting hundreds of consumers in zoned and protected areas was very different from the implications of the report. The council owed a duty to its customers and while he was completely in favour of zoning, it was quite impracticable unless there was uniformity in the quality of the milk. It was known that many complaints had been made and that certain vendors having protected rounds had been slow'to meet the. convenience of the customers. ■'