TOWN MILK SUPPLIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24271, 12 May 1942, Page 4

TOWN MILK SUPPLIES

PLEA FOR PRODUCERS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Monday Now that the Government had granted a war cost allowance to ordinary dairy farmers, it was to bo hoped the gross injustice under which farmers who supplied milk to some of the towns in the Dominion were suffering would be rectified, said the secretary of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, Mr. A. P. O'Shea. They had been disgracefully treated, he said. With prices stabilised at the 1939 level, farmers in some districts, notably Otago. were selling milk at below the cost of production, and consumers were getting an unfair advantage. There was as yet no provision to pass on to milk suppliers the allowances for war costs granted to other sections of the community. It was interesting to contrast the treatment they had received with that given the producers of beer. The Government knew the position and it was high time it took action to rectify the injustice. In some districts milk production for town supply had become hopelessly uneconomic, said Mr. O'Shea. As a result, small quantities of milk were collected over widespread areas and temporary licences for town supply had even been granted to some producers whose buildings were not up to the necessary health standard. SOLDIER PATIENTS MEETING HOSPITAL COSTS A reply to a telegram sent by the Papakura Borough Council to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, drawing his attention to the large increase in the Auckland Hospital Board's levy and stating that the council considered this increase, being due to the war emergency, should be met from the Consolidated Fund, was received at the council meeting last evening. The Prime Minister pointed out that the treatment of members of the armed forces was already paid for by the Government at the rate of lis a day. This amount covered the total cost of maintenance in a large number of cases. In no case did the cost of treatment exceed 14s a day. This extra cost where it did occur, was met half by the Government and half by lovy on the local authorities. Local districts, therefore, had to bear a very small proportion of the cost of treating soldier patients. The council expressed the opinion that all expenses incurred in the treatment of returned soldiers should be met out of the War Expenses Account.

ARMY'S MOBILE LAUNDRY (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) BEIRUT, May 3 Two thousand five hundred complete battle dresses are washed and dried daily by the newest addition to the New Zealaud Division—the mobile laundry operating in Syria. When 50 tons of the latest electrically-driven equipment arrived from England two months ago, none of the present staff had seen a laundry before. Now they are working three shifts a day and washing over 70,000 blankets, and all the division's winter clothing before starting the regular weekly washing now done by natives. An old flourniill has been taken over for quarters, arid a mountain stream has been has been piped for water, giving 24,000 gallons daily. The equipment of the nine trailers includes a 27 k.w generator, two boilers to supply washers and driers. If gas is used the unit can decontaminate thousands of pieces of equipment and clothing daily. Later 2000 sets of summer clothes will be washed daily. Three hundred and fifty civilians are engaged in mending and ironing. The shifts work on a competitive basis with production cost sheets for each.