MILK SUPPLY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25503, 5 April 1944, Page 4

MILK SUPPLY

PRESENT SYSTEM CONDEMNED DECISIONS OF PUBLIC MEETING A meeting called by a number of Dunedin citizens was held in the Concert Chamber last night to consider the city’s milk supply. The Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) presided over an attendance of about 25Q persons. At the conclusion a resolution was carried to the effect that the control of the city milk supply should bs the responsibility of a public authority representative of all interests. The Mayor said that he thought all would agree that the time had arrived when there should be a better system for the control of the city’s milk supply. The present system, he said, had been in existence since the early days of Dunedin. Some change seemed to be necessary, but it was not for him to say in what direction the improvement should be made. The City Council realised that a better system was required, and had had the matter under consideration for several years. There was no doubt that the producer in the south had received a “ raw deal ” so far as price was concerned, Mr Allen continued. In Dunedin the producer received 10.3 d per gallon against 12.25 d in Wellington and 14d in Auckland. That was extremely unfair, as the winters were much v longer here than Was the case in Auckland and Wellington. The producer had had a diffi&ilt time and in consequence his land and herds had deteriorated. Until the Price Tribunal had taken a hand recently and fixed prices there had been no stability in the industry. Now the producers in and around Dunedin were receiving the same price as those in other parts of the Dominion. Mr Allen added that it was the duty of the City Council to see that citizens were provided with adequate supplies of good, wholesome milk and also to insist on it being handled in the most hygienic manner. Although there were not sufficient inspectors, they were at least ensuring that the milk was of a fairly good standard. Health Aspect Dr Helen Deem said that she was speaking on behalf of her fellow-citizens, and also for those who could not speak for themselves—babies and small children. She said that all realised the importance of milk in the health of the community, but the fact remained that from 1939 to 1942 there was not sufficient milk to supply Dunedin schools in the period from June to August each year. She realised that producers had had a grievance in the past, but the consumers, too, had to be considered.

She had heard a number of complaints about the methods adopted in the delivery of milk in Dunedin, Dr Deem continued. Owing to the shortage of adult labour, a number of young boys had to be employed. “ Those who get up early,” she declared, “ will often see these boys sitting on milk cans, a tar from hygienic practice.” Dr ’ Deem condemned the present system of delivering milk “ loose.” She had been told that owing to the war it was difficult to obtain bottles, but she understood that there was no difficulty in getting beer in bottles. Mr A. J. Cameron, president of the West Taieri branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, said that he had been fighting for 13 years to get a fair deal for producers. They had had many disappointing experiences. When the Government’s stabilisation proposals came into effect they found it impossible to get an increase for their winter milk. He went to Wellington and had interviewed two officers of the Price Tribunal, but he had not received a very sympathetic hearing. He then saw the then Minister of Agriculture, Mr W. Lee Martin, who had made a promise that something would be done without delay. The speaker referred to the setting up of a co-operative association by a number of Otago producers in order to improve their position. This association had been able to obtain better all-round rates from the vendor companies. Commission’s Report Mr Cameron-.dealt at length with the report of the Milk Commission. The evidence, he said, had been taken in April of last year, but there had been an extraordinarily long delay in making the commission’s findings public. There were a number of things in the report which gave satisfaction to the producer, but in some respects it was a great disappointment. He thought that vendor companies had made a mistake in cutting the prices for supply to hotels, restaurants and milk bars in the summer months, as this, he contended, was done at ■ the expense of the producers. Mr Cameron referred at some length to the fact that the Taieri and Peninsula Company, Ltd., had been granted permission to increase its capital by the Minister of Finance, Mr W. Nash, and had also received authority to import machinery because the company’s old plant had been condemned. He thought that this would tend to give private control of the supply. ■ The dean of the medical faculty, Dr C. E. Hercus, said it was a hopeful sign when citizens, of their own free will, met together to discuss problems fundamental to the maintenance of human health. He trusted that it would be the forerunner of other meetings when citizens could discuss equally vital and controversial subjects, such as the population problem referred to on page 34 of the Milk Commission’s report, where reference was made to the fact that the population of the urban area of Dunedin in 1928 was 85,095, whereas in 1941 it was 82,200, Interlocked with the population problem was the whole question of regional and town planning and housing, which were subjects of vital importance to the health of the people. Contrast With Wellington

Discussing the Milk Commission’s report, Dr Hercus said that the first part was purely a factual statement of the present circumstance of the milk supply. In regard to the milk situation in Dunedin It revealed a most unsatisfactory state of affairs. ”If as citizens,” he continued. “ we had been as sensitive to the promotion of human health as we have been to the development of such services as gas, water supply, transport, and electricity. there would have been no need for. the deliberations of a Government commission to make the facts known. Our failure to take the necessary steps to secure an adequate arid safe milk supply stands out the more sharply when we read of the enlightened policy of the -Wellington Municipality with its Municipal Milk Department working in close co-operation with the Wellington Dairy Farmers’ Association.” Dr Hercus discussed health aspects of the milk problem. He said that there must be the strictest cleanliness at every stage in its production, and the milk must be boiled or pasteurised. Pasteurisation, he claimed, was by far the most satisfactory method, but the process had to be carried out in a properly-designed plant, free from-mechanical defects, and supervised by intelligent operators. Only 50 per cent, of Dunedin’s milk supply was pasteurised, and only 35 per cent, of this f mount was bottled. Of all the milk sold nly 17 per cent, was bottled. Mr R. C. Burgess dealt at length with the business aspect of the problem, and quoted extensively from the commission's report. Resolutions Carried The following motion, moved by Mr W. B. Richards, was carried by a fairly substantial majority: “That this meeting of Dunedin citizens recognises that the city milk - supply is a public utility, and is decisively of the opinion that if our milk supply is to be satisfactory, both to producers and consumers, it must be based on a true linking-up of these parties associated together in good,faith, whereby the requirements of both will be met In a fair, reasonable, and efficient man-i ner, and that to .this end the control of the city milk supply should be the responsibility of a public authority which should be fully representative of all parties concerned with it.”

A further motion, moved by Mr Burgess, was also carried. This was as follows: “ This meeting welcomes the organisation of consumer opinion, and supports and commends the_ effort of all who have and will be appealed to, with the objective of obtaining an Empowering Act giving us the best possible milk supply fashioned from a consideration of the facts by all sections of the people.’’