PRICE DOUBLED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20283, 18 April 1934, Page 5

PRICE DOUBLED.

Milk Supply for Auckland Hospital. BOARD'S STRONG PROTEST. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, April 17. Strong comment on the formation of the Auckland Milk Council and the prices fixed by that body was made at a meeting of the Auckland Hospital. Board when a letter was received from the Auckland Milk Company intimating that the price of milk supplied to the board would be doubled under instructions from the Auckland Milk Council. * W e have come to the stage where there is going to be no competition at all,'’ declared the Chairman of the Hospital Board (Mr W. Wallace). “As far as I can see, there is only one alternative and that is for the board to establish a dairy farm of its own. Bernard Shaw was not far wide of the mark when he suggested we should have free milk, which is an essential commodity. The formation of this milk council is the most scandalous piece of work that has ever been perpetrated on the people of Auckland.” The board, said Mr Wallace, was getting requests through its relief department for sustenance from families who applied for milk There was one family in which there were nine children. six of whom were under 15 years of age and the milk bill for that'family was 7s a week. One of the family was a baby four months old and the father said: ‘lt must have milk at any cost.” He was right. Loss of Competition. “Now that the Government has established this milk council, we don't know where it will lead us,” continued Mr Wallace. “We may find them wanting to establish councils to control bread, meat, fruit and fish. If you are going to take away competition, you are going to take away the very

life blood of the community. If we are going on with legislation such as this I do not know what is going to come of the country.” Mr G. T. Parvin pointed out that the increase would mean an increase of £2500 a year in the board’s milk bill. He moved that the question of establishing the board’s own farm be placed in the hands of the Finance Committee for investigation. “I suppose there must be some justification . for the move, but it is one of the most serious things that has ever come before the beard,” said Dr E. B. Gunson. “The medical profession has always realised that the children of this country are not getting enough milk. I think we should make some very definite comment on a development of this kind when we think of the children and the under-nourish-ment that will ensue from such a move. Are we under the necessity of renewing this contract? Are we not free to say we will renew the contract for a short time only pending the purchase of a farm? There are plenty in the offing.” “The law allows them to break a contract,” commented Mr Wallace. “The board’s contract should have to run until September. The rise in price to Is 2d a gallon seems to be outrageous." It was decided that the Finance Committee should inquire into the establishment of a dairy farm and also into the position of the board’s contract with the Auckland Milk Company.