WELLINGTON MILK SUPPLY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2861, 13 January 1909, Page 11

WELLINGTON MILK SUPPLY.

VENDORS' GRIEVANCES. WELLINGTON, January 6. The grievances of the milk vendors of th< city of Wellington were laid before the Hon. G. Fowlde, Minister of Public Health this afternoon by a number of persons in terested in the distribution of the supply. Mr J. P. Luke, M.P.. in introducing th< deputation, said the question of the mill supply was of vital importance to the citj and the district. The vendors considerec that something in the nature of a receiving depot should be established, preferably ai , Te Aro. Facilities should be cheaply, yei efficiently provided, so that milk received from outside districts could be inspected before it was fiinally delivered, which '■ would be infinitely more satisfactory, noi only to the vendors and suppliers, but alsc to the people. He had every confidence in the department, and felt that the tim« had come when something of a definits . character should be done to bring the different elements together, and thus bring about a concrete form, and finality which was 6O desirable. ) Mr H. W. Jolly, representing the vendors, pointed out that the milk supply was 1 at present under the control of three departments — the Agricultural and Health Departments, and the City Council. This was unsatisfactory. He strongly urged a better system of inspection from cow to consumer, and suggested that control should be in the hands of one department, preferably the Agricultural Department, subject to the Health Department. Ho also urged that the teats of the cows 6bould be thoroughly cleansed before milk- ; ing ; that the milk be thoroughly cooled ! and strained ; that it be consigned to the ' city, by the ordinary milk train ; and that a responsible departmental officer be appointed to take samples of milk for analysis at least weekly. In the case of Wellington, where the principal supply arrived at I Te Aro, he sugge&ted that an inspection j or receiving shed be erected for milk-test-j ing purposes, etc. The vendors were anxious i that something shouid be done, and they ! desired to do a legitimate Easiness. This I would also be in the intere-ts of the consumer, who would be protected thereby, j Mr G. C. Highet endorsed the remarks j of the previous speaker, and pointed out I that under present arrangements milk deteriorated in transit. Sometimes it "was ; left standing in the yard in the sun for • lengthy periods before it arrived in the city, which had a very detrimental effect. They desired to have the whole question 1 gone into and fixed up properly. | " I quite recognise that the question of ' milk supply is an important one," said the I Minister in reply. " Everything possible 1 should be done to 6eoure a pure supply | while at the same time not unduly haraes- ! ing the milk producers or the vendors." Some of the points mentioned by the deputation did not lie within the compass of his department. The question of transit, to far as the Railway Department was concerned, could only be dealt with by making representations to that department. He advised them to adopt this course to see ;f better facilities could be obtained. Regarding the request that one department should have sole control of the milk from the cow to the consumer, he did not think this was possible or feasible. The Health Department naturally was entrusted with the health and food supplies of the people in a-U branches. The Agricultural Department was pot in a position to undertake the extra duties suggested. It had not got the staff to look alter the milk when it left the dairies. He did not think it was possible for the Health Department to relinquish control or supervision of the supply of "milk intended for human consumption, any more than it could relinquish supervision of any other portion of the food supply. He saw the value of having a central depot of some kind. He was firmly convinced that the proper authority for dealing with this matter was the local body — the City Council in the case of Wellington. He did not think it was at all likely that the Government would undertake" the erection or management of any institution of the kind that had been suggested. It was the proper function of local bodies to do this, and he hoped the Wellington City Council would take such action as would secure a central place, of supervision of all the milk supplied to the citiz-ens of Wellington. This would serve to lessen the responsibility of vendors, and show where the adulteration toolk place. He would give the representation-? the fullest and most careful consideration, but he felt that in the meantime the direction they should move in was to get the City Council to establish a receiving depot. He did not think theie was a chance of the Government entering into business in that way.