THE CITY'S MILK

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11497, 18 April 1923, Page 7

THE CITY'S MILK

PAST OPERATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN'S REVIEW AND PROSPECTS. COUNCIL’S FUTURE- POLICY. Yesterday’s meeting of the milk committee was the final as far as the present council is concerned, and the chairman (Mr C. J. B. Norwood) took the opportunity of giving a brief review of the operations of the milk department. Mr Norwood is not seking re-election to the council, and on the eve of his retirement from participation in municipal affairs, he addressed the committee on general matters in connection with the undertaking, explaining tho ideas which he hopes to see the incoming council bring into effect. COMMITTEE ALERT. "Before. relinquishing my office as chairman of the milk committee,” said Councillor . Norwood, “I would like to place on record my ■ opinions upon future policy, and I trust that these may be of some service to the council and the committee in the future. Since July, 1919, when the first instalment of the munieipalisation of the milk supply was taken in hand (in conjunction with the Vendor contracts), the milk committee has worked untiringly with an ideal to accomplish. The members were not surprised that they .found as time went oh that they had much to learn. It must be also remembered 1 that there was no similar undertaking to copy; there were no experienced managers’or staff in the community from which to draw managerial and working staff. There- was, there- 1 fore, much pioneering work to be done. It has been frankly' admitted that managerial mistakes have arisen from time to time, but in this’ connection I have been able to claim fairly that my committee has been alert to observe and not slow to remedy these faults. The two important problems which beset the milk committee at the commencement were *. — "1. To secure a winter; supply which was, prior to the advent of the council, - 60 per cent, short of the city’s net requirements. . . f . . “2. To bring. about suck conditions as would stop adulteration and the delivery of milk to the people unfit for human consumption. QUESTION OF ERICES. "When going into details I feel I may fairly; claim that the milk committee solved both of these Important problems as Dome out by the statements of our leading medical men, the Health Department, and the head of the Agricultural Department; this has been done at a price to tho publio which has compared favourably with the retail price m force in the leading cities of New Zealand where the vendor system is still operating. Referring now to future policy, there are three important matters which should engage’ the. attention of the new committee, anl which I place here on roeprd and trust they will have full consideration when the time comes: — 1. The setting up of u. tribunal for the tixtation of prices which the council will nave. to pay the farmer from year to year for its milk supply. .... 2. A better method of dealing with the. .two-mile-radius farmer who raises milk on his own farm and delivers to the public therefrom. 3. A new station designed to meet up-to-date ant) economic handling and treatment of the milk supply. “As each one of the- above subjects is Sufficient for a soparatq, and lengthy report, I can only here touch briefly upon tho main points. Referring to No. 1—; the price Fixation Board—the personnel which in my opinion would be best and most democratic should consist of an appointee of the council, one of the farmers, and a chairman, the latter to he appointed by the responsible Minister. “The foot that the council, has a monopoly of; the retail supply within the city makes it the only, customer, with whidh the farmer may deal. This fact has the tendency of causing the farmer, however fairly he is treated, to regard.,the council :as some ldndi of ootopup that is working, against his interest, and the experience of last year when a Parliamentary ! inquiry was asked for, not by the suppliers to the council, and the evidence given at that inquiry, all in my opinion went to indicate the importance, of some better form of purchase which will remove the ground for appeals to Parliament, and I am satisfied that under such a .system where each side will give its evidence to the board, the board in turn will settle tile price fairly as between the city and the farmer. The last Parliamentary inquiry cost the council several thousands of pounds, and . this was not in sight when the retail price to tho public was fixed/ for the year. , / FURTHER POWER NEEDED. “It is very difficult to see how the opuncil can maintain its policy of improving the purity of the milt supply from year to year while the two-mile radius farmer allowed free and unrestricted rights to go where he will throughout the. city in the sale of his milk. I am-of. opinion that the councii should; seek power when the amendments of the Act' are under review to take over the nearby'vendors' rounds, by the payment of reasonable compensation. On the hills around Wellington it is not possible for all the farmers to 6ecure a water-supply sufficiently cool in the summer 'time to produce aiiything like a first-grade article, however careful the farmer himself may be. I therefore put forward the following, reasons for seeking the powers referred to above:— “1. Economy in distribution. Our present staff and managerial expenses would not be' materially increased if they had to deliver a considerably increased daily Supply within the area they now traverse. . / "2. If any of the farmers within the two-mile radius could so arrange their herds and farms to satisfy the Expert Board now controlling this section that they epuid supply unpasteurised certified first-grade milk, they would then he able to participate, in hie next phase of the council’s policy, which is to BUpply unpasteurised. milk from f special farms, and for this particular milk slightly increased payment would: he due to the farmer. “3. The natural growth of the population of Wellington makes the position of the nearby farmer temporary only, as the population must spread to the outskirts, and gradually . absorb the available land within the radius. "The financial side I figured out and considered very carefully, and I am satisfied that fair and reasonable compensation could be paid to those men, with the authority of Parliament, and the payments for such will in no way embarrass tho finances,, but rather the change will aid the efficiency of the general working of the f council s department. '■ A NEW STATION. “I regard tile construction of a new milk station as not tho least important part of future policy. It must be remembered that the station- is now situated in the very heart of the city, and the large milk wagons, which must-, become more numerous as Wellington Increases in population, have got to pass over all the main- tramway routes to reach the station, and the methods of taking delivery of this milk and hoisting It to the top of the building ore not sufficiently efficient although at present necessitated by circumstances. Tho general design of the building was not arranged to look after nearly as large a supply as is now passing through the department, land although everything! possible has • been done to minimise the handling and economise in the working thore is much yet to be done. The cost of power and steam can be reduced from 40 per cent, to CO per cent., and this alone would be sufficient to pay interest ( and depreciation on a substantial sum of money. Further, it must be'remembered that ihv» property is situated perhaps in rim most valuable area and is too expensive nl!""ol her for tile permanent service of t.'io r.-.i’k station. ’l’lie property

has all been well bought and will form a substantial asset to turn into cash when the time for the change over comes, which time 1 trust will not be more than five years hence. If the recommendations contained in my financial report are accepted by tho council a station could he erected within five years' time without tlie department being in any way hampered by over-capitalisation as the result of having started in a temporary station. "In concluding this report, I would like to make reference to tho expert board aet up last year after the findings of the Parliamentary Committee to deal with nearby farmers. The personnel of tlie board is the Director-General of Agriculture, Dr; Watt, Health Officer, and Dr Hardwieke-Smith, representing the council. This hoard has alreadv done valuable work in the city, and I ani now convinced that every city, whether the supply is municipalised or not, should have a board constituted more or less on tho same lines with power to make regulations relative to the supply, of milk. I urn confident myself that whatever may be the fate of the nearby farmer, there is still valuable service to be performed by this - board. This is but a scantv outline of ; mv ideas, and I hope to A--' tlie new 1 council carry at least some o! them into I effect. I