MILK VENDORS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20503, 22 August 1936, Page 6

MILK VENDORS

SMALL DAIRIES KILLING TRADE CO-OPERATIVE COMPANY SUGGESTED Proposals for the establishment of a co-operative milk company similar to the organisation serving metropolitan Sydney, to supply Timaru Borough, are to be submitted to the Timaru Borough Council by the Timaru Milk Vendors’ Association, the executive of which yesterday was empowered to approach the Council as a deputation. “It is the 101 little dairies in town that are killing the trade in Timaru,” declared Mr F. G. Holland, at a meeting of producers and vendors yesterday. He suggested that the Borough Council should be asked to define a dairy, because at present the Sanitary Inspector found difficulty in determining who were entitled to licenses to sell milk. He urged the Association to recommend the Council to amend its by-laws to provide that after March 1 next only dairies opening on to the street should be permitted to operate. There was room for a few dairies in the town, but not nearly so many as were licensed at present. The legitimate dairymen, who had been in business for years, were being driven out and their trade usurped by fruiterers and grocers. In view of the fact that the Borough Council was insisting on testing of herds for tuberculosis, and the Department of Agriculture was demanding improvements in conditions of dairies and sheds, the Association should request the Council to require a reasonable standard of building and equipment of shops selling milk.

The chairman (Mr G. Redway) said that now the Borough Council had appointed a new milk committee the Association should approach it with a veiw to securing improvements in the sale and distribution of milk in Timaru. Construction of Dairies Mr C. H. Lennon contended that if the Association wanted restriction of licenses of town dairies, it would have to create a fund for the purpose of buying out the small man, because the Council would not listen to i any proposal which involved crushing out this type of vendor, thus giving a monopoly to a few large suppliers. The construction of dairies should be governed by the Town Planning Act just as it did the building of garages.

Mr J. Courtney suggested the Association should ask the Council to limit the issue of dairy licenses in town to bona fide producers and cancel licenses held by grocers, fruiterers and other shopkeepers.

The establishment of a co-operative milk company in Timaru, in which there would be a central depot under a manager, and at which producers could deliver their milk for distribution by say 20 retailers, whose areas would be defined, was advocated by Mr Lennon. He stated that he had recently written to Sydney for information concerning the co-operative organisation operating in the metropolis. The price the producers were to receive could be fixed from time to time by the directors, and the vendors 4 charge could also be fixed. Certain producers would have the right to establish dairies in zoned areas. He suggested that project would be fiananced by the sale of shares in the concern, and the payment by producers and vendors of a levy of Bd a gallon for the first two years to meet current expenses, and when the scheme was on a working basis the levy could be remitted.

Members agreed the plan would largely solve their difficulties and it was decided to write to the Borough Council asking whether it would receive a deputation to discuss • the formation of a co-operative milk company to serve Timaru. The executive was empowered to act as the deputation.

The idea of promoting a postal ballot among all producers and vendors serving Timaru to determine whether or not the majority favoured the scheme was deferred.