THE MILK QUESTION.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2122, 22 October 1875, Page 2

THE MILK QUESTION.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.)

Sir,—The occasion being past, I have declined re-writing mj letter of the 16th inst., which you refused to insert in your paper; but I wish to make one or two statements in reply to "Enquirer" (yesterday's Star), as ne is so very persistent in making such ridiculous assertions. Why does he bring in the name of Mr Plimsoll as a comparison? Mr Plimsoll is a gentleman of philanthropic motives. " Enquirer" appears, to my thinking, a person cavilling nonsense. A newspaper correspondent should be fully up to the matter in question before setting himself up as a judge. He admits his mistake— (what mistake ?)—but retracts no facts. But he cannot show where he has shown facts. Let him put his theory into practice, and he will find, to his cost, his facts are all imaginary. But, to talk about a cow giving' from 20 ito 25 quarts per day, is all bosk. Let bim point out one insjancejjput he cannot. He makes one sensible remark, and that is about all that can be said in favor of his argument, it is', the better the cow, the more payable. He says it requires capital to start a dairy. We know that. A person who has been amongst farming and cattle all his lifetime, and at dairying on the Thames, since it was opened as a goldfield should be ableffto te11..-He's willing to be convinced, yet he shuts his eyes to the truth. lam afraid it would be a difficult matter to instil into his mind, merely by corresponding, but, if he is anxious to start a dairy on a gigantic scale, I am sure I will give him the benefit of my experience without charging him anything tor advice; and as far as purchasing freeholds, they would be particularly small without some other resource distinct from milkselling. It is as plain ai two and two make four, that "Enquirer" is biased and prejudiced. In the question of Mr Alley advertising milk at 3d per quart, and comparing that with a possibility of selling at 4d here—the comparison is ridiculous. Mr Alley has his scores of acres under cultivation and grass, and where's the cultivation here ? I am informed milk is 4d in Auckland; but cattle can be grassed at 2s 6d per week without any, or very little feed as stall-feeding, while here 2s 6d is the estimated cost for one day. "Enquirer" misrepresents facts by stating- a positive untruth. He says: '• Fair Play's" statements are inconsistent, but his ofler was with conditions, and could afford to laugh at the absurdity ;.,■■ and for one cow giving ,6| quarts would cost £12, that is a perversion of the truth. " Fair Play's ' letter to ". Enquirer " is: I will tell him what two cows will give here: to milk two cows for nine months, giving them the best feed to be had here, will average about 13 quarts per day. Cows that will do that will cost in Auckland £12 and when dry will be worthAbout £3 10s. Taking the above as a. basis of calculations, which does not speak well for the class of dairy cows which are to be had here, 13 quarts per day at 8d per quart for 7 days is £3 8d; feed for 7 days £115s; cost of retailing at l^d per quart, 11s 4£d; balance, 14s 3|d; for nine months or 40 weeks, £28 lls Id; cost on two cows, £24; freight, £2 Is— £26; interest and deterioration, £2117 i 2d—leaving a profit £4 2s lOd, nefct; allowing, no margin for risks supposing one dies, which occurs sometimes. A man's means of industry is his property or capital ; all fixed capital of any kind are so many forms of accumulated labour, and it is manifest that for the use of this labour as well as for the daily labour of which it is put into operation the owner is. entitled to a fair remuneration. Admitting that the winter is over and feed more plentiful, and the raising the milk unreasonable, but for how long will it continue, say two months, and what do we get a parched country and scorching weather which is as bad if not worse than the winter, besides tak- ! ing an average season the profit must be made in the opening of the year, as it takes all the money that can be made to keep up the supply for the autumn and winter months. Let " Enquirer " examine the different ledgers of Messrs Veale and Hudson, or Mr Greenwood, or any other dealer for the matter of that, and see how many out of twenty-two milkmen whose names do not deface the pages of their ledgers. How much out of the next two months does ".Enquirer " suppose there will be left so as to have a clean sheet to start afresh with.—l am, &c. T. Waikee. [We think the milkmen and others have had a fair say now. Both sides. evidently want to prove too much. If they cannot bring forward something new in the way of facts and figures they may consider these columns closed to them.— El\] .