THE MILK SCHEME

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10073, 11 September 1918, Page 6

THE MILK SCHEME

‘•MOVING ALONG SATISFACTORILY" PROGRESS REPORT BY COUNCILLOB NORWOOD. Everythin*? 15 moving along satisfactorily in. regard to tho milk scheme, announced Councillor C. B. Norwood, chairman of the Milk Committee, yesterday. Tho committee, has met the farmers of Makara. ami Councillor Norwood states that the farmers welcome -tho new- scheme. Tho great problem facing tho farmers is winter feeding. By importation on a larger scale by tho new milk department it was hoped to overcome this difficulty. With regard to the vendors, everything was not working smoothly as with tho farmers. Within the nest week or so, Councillor Norwood hopes that his committee win ba able to make arrangements with the vendors that will bo mutually satisfactory. Although all the vendors had shown in writing that they intend to coma in under the council's new scheme, they wore divided amongst themselves as to the method under widen they would come in. AA'ith ail its benefits the committee's scheme must appeal to nil the vendors. Tho of the committee must be apparent to tue public, as it had to arrange with a large number of small vendors whose total supply ran from ten to tifty gallons of milk ” daily, whereas under the new scheme the minimum amount to be supplied by a single vendor was sixty gallone daily. .The milk cards are coming in exceptionally well, but fn cases cards are being withheld bv- consumers, often on the gdvico of the milkmen. In cases consumers who have shifted have filled in two cards. Councillor Norwood points out that such must bring about errors in the estimate. All consumers should fill in their cards as _ accurately as possible and send them in without delay. The committee is now making inquiry so that the city may, be assured of an adequate supply for next and subsequent winters. AN INTERESTING REPORT.

0£ particular interest in view of tho advent of tho new scheme is a report af tho committee on production and tribution of milk presented to Urn I‘ood Controller in .England. A copy of tins report has boon received byline flavor, through tho courtesy of tae i ActingPrime Minister, Sir James Alien, i'ne report reads as follows: — The objects to no aimed at are the maintenance of the milk supply, the economical handling of miik, its equitable distribution, and the full utilisation 'of surplus supplies lor manufactnng purposes. , <H> Pot the purpose of controlling tuo distribution of milk Great Britain should be divided into suitable areas. <3) Milk superintendents should bo appointed in each area, to take charge of the local distribution of milk and act under the instructions of the Central authority in liondon, with a separate advisory committee for Scotland, meeting in Edinburgh, and under tho Central Authoritv in Loudon. They should have access to the statistics and information in the Live Stock Commissioner’s Possession. G>) A National Milk Clearing House should be set up in London, which should control the wholesale milk trade of the country, and employ persons, firms, and societies, who arc licensed, to deal in milk by wholesale as authorised -wholesale milk agents. as £ »r as is necessary. (5) The clearing house should take over existing contracts between wholesalers and producers, but would interfere as little as possible with direct contracts between producers , and retailers. Such contracts, however, should be subiect to supervision and the approval of the Milk Superintendent for tho area in which the retailer may be situated. ' (61 All milk churns in possession of wholesale dealers other than retail delivery churns would be taken over and become the property of the clearing House. . (7) Manufacturers whose primary business is tho manufacture of milk products would bo authorised to act aa wholesale agents of _ the clearing house, and would be rcauired to manufacture dried milk, cheese or other products on account of and in accoi dance with the instruction of the clearing house. (8) In the organisation of the wholesale trade during the war. the power of wholesale traders nrav be strengthened. or in somo cases disorganised for _the Period after the wai ft' is thenfore recommended that in. constituting __traders’ agents of tho Ministry of food, the Government should at once obtain at option to purchase tho business of such traders at a fair valuation to be arrive-'! at by negotiation or bv arbitration, a;experience mar show the absolute necessity of the State becoming the sole wholesaler of milk, a development which this committee thinks desirable. (91 It should be the police of the clearing house to encourage producers to form themselves into co-operative associations for the purpose of improving the conditions of milk production and for the manufacture of cheese.

(TO) It is recognised that milk should be produced and supplied under improved conditions so that it may be more clean and wholesome when it reaches the consumer. Any improvements that can be effected, bv grading or otherwise, should be made im such a way as to anticipate tho lines of future requirements. All the above clauses were agreed ■unanimously except the most important one—clause B—suggesting B—suggesting State control.