MUNICIPAL MILK SUPPLY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19453, 12 October 1937, Page 11

MUNICIPAL MILK SUPPLY

AUCKLAND VIEWS VARY CITY COUNCIL DEBATE POWER TO TAKE ACTION (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. Confidence in municipal control of the city’s milk supply was expressed in a resolution carried at a meeting of the Auckland City Council tonight. The resolution also embodied a decision that representations should be made to the Government to give the people of Auckland the right to elect all members of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council by popular franchise. The resolution was moved by Mr. J. Purtell, who had also given notice to move that there should be rescinded two resolutions passed by the council, one in 1935 approving of the proposed amendments to the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Act, 1933, and the other in 1936 supporting further amending legislation in respect of the Auckland milk supply. . Both resolutions were rescinded. Several speakers expressed opposition to Mr. Purtell’s motion after he had introduced it. Mr. L. J. Coakley said he was not in favour of municipalisation and that in Wellington a vast expenditure had been necessary to achieve what had been done. Mr. H. P. Burton said he considered the move unnecessary. If the proposed amendments to the law were carried, the Milk Council would have power to municipalise the milk supply. The Hon. B. Martin, M.L.C., said this was true, but if the council did not desire to municipalise the supply, the fact that it had legal power to do so would not alter matters.

The Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, said he wished to make it clear he was not opposed to a municipal milk supply. He did not know enough about it, however, to express a complete opinion, and wished there was more information before the council before it was called upon to make a decision. The resolution was carried.

CHRISTCHURCH INQUIRY INITIAL £220,000 OUTLAY ACTION DEFERRED (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, last night. The establishment of the industry in Christchurch, under the ownership and control of the Christchurch City Council, is ,recommended by the nanager of the Wellington City Coun:il Milk Department, Mr. R. E. Herron, in a report that was tabled ai i meeting of the council to-night. Mr. Herron, who investigated the nilk industry in the city last year, tonsiders that the industry is in a most chaotic condition, with producers and vendors unable to ensure a '■easonable return for their work, or to give a supply of the necessary quality and hygiene. The pasteurisaion of milk is favoured by Mr. Heron. If it should be necessary to make available a supply of raw milk, he considers that it should be of a certiied quality only; but this would be norc expensive than pasteurised milk. On the basis of a return to producers of 8.2G8d a gallon in summer, ind 13.G03d a gallon in winter, Mr. Herron suggests the sale of bottled oasteurised milk for the six summer months at 5Jd a quart, and for the dx winter months at 6d a quart. The :apital required to establish a muni-cipally-owned and controlled undertaking, exclusive of the amount needed for meeting compensation would be about £220,000.

On the casting vote of the Mayor, Mr. J. W. Beanland, the City Council decided that it would not for the present seek the introduction of a bill to Parliament giving power to the council to establish municipal monoonly of the milk industry in the city. The council made this decision when it was recommended that Mrs. T. H. McCombs, M.P., and Hon. W. Hayward, M.L.C., be requested to take charge of the bill. The resolution carried was that the bill be not substituted to Parliament until the council thought fit and until after the return from abroad of the chairman of Hie milk committee, Sir Hugh Acland. Sir Hugh is expected to return about the middle of December.