OUR MILK SUPPLY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9690, 19 June 1917, Page 7

OUR MILK SUPPLY

A SCIENTIFIC SCHEME A SUGGESTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. Tho problem of xiroviding for Wellington a milk supply scheme satisfactory to producer, supplier and consumer has been exercising the minds of city councillors for some time past. At' present the council has under consideration applications for manager of a prospective scheme. Xu view of this an admirable scheme suggested by Mr E. W. B. Grevillc, editor of the "New Zealand Dairyman,” which scheme has been outlined by letter to the council, should possibly help the council over its difficulties. Mr Greville has written to the council to tho effect that the scheme which ho outlines is really the scheme adopted by Copenhagen, which is admittedly the best in the world. Mr Greville has adax>ted this scheme to New Zealand circumstances, and he points out that if adopted the scheme will result in a saving of 33 per cent. ,to the consumers and also will ensure absolutely pure milk and what is more important, absolutely frosh milk being supplied to the city. In his letter to the council Mr Greville states that the council probably will be surx>rised to learn that at this time of tho year. Tuesday night’s milk is delivered to consumers in Wellington on Thursday I The suggestion to establish a clearing-house would still further delay the passing of the milk from the producer to consumer and if the council would consult any medical officer he would sav that this is by far the greatest evil in connection with the city supply, especially when the milk has to be used by infants and invalids. MILK SUPPLIED IN BOTTLES.

The method Mr Greville suggests is that the milk should be bottled on each farm into ‘‘Mason” jars, which could bo sent to town in crates sealed with a lead seal. This would ensure that the milk could not be tampered with in transit. Every farmer’s jars would bear his own number, and in case of any adulteration or Impurity .the blame could be sheeted home at once. As the milk would be carried direct from each railway station to the consumer’s house, the freshness of it would'be guaranteed. Of course it is to be understood tbat if the . council undertook the sale and delivery of the milk there would bo no credit given. This would result in a considerable saving to consumers, at once, and as there would he no ten per cent. loss in retailing it, as under the present system, a paying price, which would warrant the producers taking the extra trouble required could be assured to producers. Mr Grevillo suggests to the council that this price should be lOd per gallon for eight months and Is 2d per gallon for the four winter month's. This would make the cost to the council something under one shilling for the whole year. As the city would bo divided into blocks for the, purpose of delivery, he estimates that the cost' would nob exceed one penny per gallon, and this would permit the price being immediately reduced to 4tf per quart as against the present price of ,sid. THE SCHEME IN PRACTICE.

M r Greville visited Copenhagen in July, 1014. where ho saw this scheme of bottled milk for the supply of that city of over a million inhabitants in full working order, and it was admitted by all dairy experts that there was nothing in the world to equal this system. The working of tho system in Copenhagen required the services of 400 men and women, hut Mr Greville recognised that this would he impossible under our labour regulations, and- had adapted the Copenhagen scheme'* to suit- Wellington requirements. _ ." “I do not desire to offer my services for the initiation, of ; this scheme,” states Mr Greville to the City Council, “hut I shall be pleased to_ give your council all the information in my power. Ninety-eight per cent, of the work could be done by a clerical staff in the council chambers, and the only outdoor work would be entrusted to the present inspectors.” DANGEROUS MILK. The above scheme was further elaborated on by Mr Greville in an interview with a “Times” representative yesterday. Mr Greville stated that the chief defect of the milk supply is the sale of stale milk, all unfit for use by infants and invalids. When one know that milk was two days.old before it got into tho consumer’s jug, was it any wonder that there was infantile mortality, and many sick babies? A remedy for this state of affairs was said to be the erection of a clearing-house. What the house was to clear was yet to be made plain. It would not remedy one of the biggest evils in the present system. This was the supply of milk from cows in “season” to the consumer. At certain periods the cow was su.bjeet to natural disorders, as in the female human system. Milk from such cows was just about as poisonous a compound as ever entered tho human stomach. Perhaps it would not he saying too-much to state that a-man who, sent milk to town from cows in- this, condition. was reckless of human life. But, given tho clearing-house, -up blame could; attach to ' the producer ■ in ■ this connection, a.s ho would have his clean bill of health from the olcaring-houso. The distributor could also put in his dose of preservative and fall back on tho clearing-house. The house would bo everybody’s buffer except the consumers. Tho Copenhagen scheme would do away with this trouble, in addition to lowering the present excessive price of milk. THE JARS DISTRIBUTED. Instead of filling tiie milk into tho too-often filthy cans that are at present used, explained Mr Greville, the milk would bo filled into Mason’s jars, pints and quarts as required. These jars would come into town in racks such as are used by cordial makers for the distribution of soda-water and the like, and every one of those crates would be sealed with a load seal. This would ensure that the contents of the jars were not tampered with before they reached the town carrier. Every carrier having his own block of the town, to serve would easily supply his customers at not more than one penny per gallon, making the retail price 4d per quart, a 33 per cent, reduction on the present- price. . There would be no trouble about tho supply of the necessary jars. Every householder had them in stock, and the onus of washing the jars would be on tlie householder. If there was any reason for complaint, the identity of ~tho producer could be ascertained, as each producer's crates and bottles could be numbered.