SCIENTIFIC MILK SUPPLY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9695, 25 June 1917, Page 4

SCIENTIFIC MILK SUPPLY

Denmark—“ Great Britain’s dairyfarm” —is undoubtedly the world’s premier dairying country. It is not to bo wondered at, therefore, that Copenhagen, tho capital of Denmark, has what is admitted to be the host and most scientific milk supply system in tho world. AVellington’s milk supply, on tho other hand, must surely ho well in the running for the worst in the world. As Mr I' 1 . W. B. Greville (editor of tho “Now Zealand Dairyman”; states in a recent letter to the City Council, “Tuesday night’s milk is delivered to consumers in Wellington on Thursday” He points out, also, that to establish a clearing-house—tho one idea that many city councillors seem to possess with regard to the milk supply problem—would still further delay the passing of the milk from the producer to the consumer; that delay, with all the dangers it involves, is by far tho greatest evil in connection with our city milk supply, especially when tho milk has to be used by infants and invalids; and that a scheme is, urgently required that will minimise, not increase, tho evil. Buch a scheme Air Greville has laid bcfoio the City Council, and our “city fathers” would do well to abandon forthwith their favourite clearinghouse policy, and set to work to put in operation as quickly as possible a thoroughly up-to-date, scientific milk supply scheme on the lines suggested by him. Air Greville has adapted tho Copenhagen system to the conditions obtaining in New Zealand, and he claims that the scheme, if adopted, will not only reduce the retail price of milk by about one-third, but will, also ensure that absolutely pure milk, and, what is even more important, absolutely fresh milk, will be supplied daily throughout the city. Tor absolutely pure and absolutely fresh milk, especially lor and invalids, many Wellington citizens would very willingly pay considerably more Ilham the present price per quart. It is, indeed, hardly t'oo much to say that under the present system absolutely pure and absolutely fresh milk is absolutely unobtainable. All citizens would feel it no small boon it they, could be .guaranteed absolutely fresh and pure milk even at the present prices ; and it is very certain that thev will welcome with great joy and thanksgiving any scheme that will give them not only .fresh milk and pure milk, but also cheaper milk. Hero is a chance for councillors to win the eternal gratitude of the city, and they should take advantage of ijb. Tho scheme outlined by Mr Greville is simplicity itedlf. Most really scientific schemes are simple, once tho mam idea is grasped. There are no difficulties of any moment to prevent the early adoption of the scheme. In Copenhagen, a city of over a million inhabitants, the- system works without a hitch, so that our City Council should find it an easy matter to carry it out in Wellington, with less than 100,000 people. Vested interests are the only lions in the path ; but, in a, matter of such vital, importance, they should not bo allowed to block the road. Bottling the milk in “Mason” jars on each farm.; and convoying tile bottles to town in crates sealed with a lead seul, would, as Mr Greville points out, ensure that the milk would bo pure when it left the farm and that it could not ho tampered with on route. Since every farmer’s jars would bear his own number, the blame, in case of anv adulteration or impurity, could readily bo brought homo to him; and, ns the milk would he taken direct from the railway station to the consumer s house, the freshness of it would he gU W< nt think it very important that the delivery of the milk to the consumer should bo wholly in the hands of the corporation. In the first place, delivery by the corporation would provide an additional guarantee that the milk would bo delivered fresh and pure. In the second place, it would prevent that overlapping and consequent economic waste which is such a prominent feature of the present system; and it would thus render possible a material reduction in price to the consumer, while at the same time assuring to producers a paying price which would warrant thorn in taking the extra care and trouble involved in the bottling of the milk. Air Greville suggests that the price paid to the producer should be lOd per gallon for eight months and Is 2d per gallon for the four winter months, making the cost to the council rather less than Is per gallon for the whole year. Dividing the city into blocks for the purpose of delivery, he estimates that it should not cost more than Id per gallon to deliver the milk, so that the retail price could be at once reduced to 4d per quart in place of the prevailing ujd. The City Council, giving no credit and saving greatly on the cost of delivery, could readily afford the proposed increase of price to the producers, while yet reducing the price to consumers by practically one-third. It lias been suggested that, to facilitate payment for the milk, weekly or monthly milktickets, on the lines of the present tramway concession tickets, might ho sold to consumers, the corporation

milk-carrier punching a hole in the ticket for each pint or quart or gallon, as the case might be, delivered. This seems to he a very feasible idea. Manifestly, also, the tramway freight ears and freight motor vehicles could be employed to convey the milk rapidly and economically to the various centres from which the milk-car-riers would distribute it. Air Greville’s .scheme has, as will he seen, great advantages to recommend itWo have yet to meet any argument of any weight against it. Wo trust, therefore, that the City Council will take the matter earnestly in hand -without delay; for the sooner Wellington has an absolutely jiure and an absolutely fresh, to say nothing of a cheap, milk supply, the better.