WINTER MILK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25454, 8 February 1944, Page 4

WINTER MILK

Sir, —There has been a good deal of talk of late about the probable shortage of milk this coming winter, but it is quite evident that very few people realise just how serious the position is likely to be. Otherwise a combined effort would have been made ter force the Government to take action. We know the milk vendors were prepared to adjust prices so that a better price could be paid to producers of winter milk, but they were bluffed into obedience by Mr Sullivan’s threat of prosecutions if any alteration in prices were made. The principal reasons for the shortage of milk are lack of labour, insufficient artificial manure, and the low price which producers are compelled to accept. No labour Is available, and the industry is at present mainly carried on by men over retiring age with the aid of women and children, working 14 and even 16 hours a day in all weathers and all the year round. Is it any wonder that they are getting worn out, and that as a result herds are being sold right out, while others are being reduced and still more are being turned over to summer milking. The rationed allowance of fertilisers of not more than ljcwt per acre for root crops is quite insufficient to make it worth while trying to grow these crops in the Dunedin area, and winter milk cannot be produced without turnips or mangels in Otago. The price which we are compelled to take for winter milk does not cover the cost of production. Compare the price received by the Auckland producers—lsd per gallon for the five winter months —with the 12Jd per gallon for three months only in Otago and you .will realise the gross injustice which has been put over producers in the south. No doubt Mr Sullivan will say that to increase the price would interfere with the Stabilisation Plan, but it does not seem to make any difference to that plan when increases in pay are given to certain workers, bonuses to wharf workers, tobacco workers, miners, etc.! To cap it all, we listen to Mr Sullivan asking everyone to co-operate in making a success of the stabilisation plan, and shortly afterwards he announces regulations making It possible to increase wages to all the lower-paid workers. Producers generally can expect nothing but harsh treatment from a Government which is admittedly under the domination of a few trade union secretaries. One thing is quite certain: no more winter milk will leave this farm at the old price, and I know of several other producers, also, who have no intention whatever of continuing to work under slavery conditions to suit Mr Sullivan and his union secretary bosses.—l am, etc., Dairy Farmer.