WANTED, FRESH MILK

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10062, 29 August 1918, Page 4

WANTED, FRESH MILK

■ Talcin'! it as a whole, the City Council’s milk supply scheme provides as yet no remedy whatever for tire two crucial objections to tho present system —(1) the staleness, and (2) the excessive cost of the milk. We put tho stateness of tho milk first and foremost, for it is the most serious objection of all. While the, present cost of milk is extortionate (at least one-third more than it ought to be), we are convinced that the people of Wellington would not object half so much to the high price if .for that price they could be guaranteed reasonably fresh and pure milk. Bub there is nothing in tho council’s scheme that oven begins to giro them such a guarantee. It is true that, in reply to the suburban complaints. Councillor Norwood (chairman of the milk committee') assures tho dwellers in suburban areas that in certain eventualities—if milk vendors do not prove recalcitrant and if tho existing legislation has not boon invoked —the council will “use discretion where, in its opinion, it is in tho interests of the public to have the milk delivered in those districts where it is raised in small quantities, in the immediate surroundings as far as possible.” If. however, the milk vendors prove obdurate, and the council have to proceed under existing legislation, it appears that an amendment -of the Act would bo required to make it possible for the council to exercise such discretion.

There is not much comfort, therefore, oven for the suburbanites, in Councillor Norwood’s statement. At best, it means that, under favourable conditions, tho milk vendors being willing, the few ’Wellington consumers who now got reasonably fresh and pure milk, may, at the discretion of tho council—and the council have not shown ' any great discretion in this milk business — continue to got it reasonably fresh and pure. But, for the rest of the 1 consumers —the great majority—thanks to ad tho other milk having to pass through the city clearing station, the milk must be, if anything, even staler and no cheaper than it is now! At worst,- if the milk vendors ate not willing, all citizens —unless and until discretionary legislation is secured for the benefit of the few —will have to put up with staler milk. The worst of it is than Hi ere is no sound reason why the city milk supply should not be a.t once much better and appreciably cneapetr. it lias been demonstrated that mint bottled, sealed, and cooled at the source of supply will keep fresh and pure almost iudolinitc]y. Milk so treated mas, lor example, sent from a Now V'ork farm to the Palis Gxlubition, over a week’s journey, aud arrived there perfectly fresh and street, _On wnat grounds, then, does the City Council milk committee refuse to adopt this scientific system, _ under wlfnch it could supply the citizens with gua-ran-ted fresh, pure and sweet milk? Tho people ot 'Wellington, t-ho iroulth * l Dtl well-being of whoso children are at stake, surely have a ngnt to know why The committee takes ’ up- such’ .an . .obscurants ist and out-of-date attitude on the matter* -Move especially have they nio right to know this, seeing that the cleanly and health-giving bottled milk system, which 'the committee has turncd down in favour of tho old bad, duty, and disease-spreading dipped milk system, would obviate the great expense of a central clearing station and u ’ 3 staff. Further—tl]# public hajvo a. right to know this, also—why are all the profits of the block system of m lb delivery to go to tho milk vendors. Why not give the citizens, in the suapu of cheaper milk, at least a half shaie hi .the saving—2d a gallon—to bo effected by the block system.'' The people of Wellington have a right to demand, aud have long demanded, both bet.ei and cheaper milk. The council mdk committee can . have no va id c *tust for not providing them at feast t bettor milk. The . City Council can U it wishes, provide , the citizens nth guaranteed fresh, pure and sweet milk , and it is its boundon duty to do SO. -