WANGANUI HOUSEWIVES’ ASSOCIATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 119, 24 May 1946, Page 2

WANGANUI HOUSEWIVES’ ASSOCIATION

EXECUTIVE MEETING.

The executive of the Wanganui Housewives' Association ?net on Thursday, May 16, to consider correspondence received in reply to resolutions sent to various Housewives’ Associations, and various Ministers. Mrs. MacGowan. pioneer of Wellington Housewives, was a welcome visitor, and also a mine of information. A vote o£ appreciation of her visit anti advice, was carried with acclamation.

Re propaganda of Health Department advertised in daily press. It. was considered to -be an anomaly for the department to warn parents about flies, dirt, etc., as cause of disease, and simultaneously to allow the Dominion's children to be poisoned by all sorts of food doctored with poisonous substances in the form of preservatives and colouring matter. A letter to this effect was sent to the Hon. Mr. Nordmeyer, who replied thanking the association for its comments and stated that his department is taking active steps to ensure that all foods which contain poisonous substances by way of preservatives or colouring matter are adequately labelled to indicate the presence of such chemicals." Wanganui housewives consider that such foods should not be given 10 human beings; also that the name of the antidote be printed on the wrapping of such poisoned foods. In reply to a letter stating the housewives’ urgent request for full supplies of raw milk and giving full reasons against pasteurising lhe country’s milk supply, the Minister of Health stated: “The problem in Wanganui is not so much in regard to the quantity of raw milk being produced, but in the quantity of raw milk considered safe for supply as raw milk. It is usual for the evening's milk only to be sold raw and for the “other" milk to be pasteurised. However, you can be assured that to the extent that milk which is of a sufficiently high quality to enable it to be distributed raw, is available—the right of choice will continue to obtain.”

The association takes exception io the fact that milk, not of sufficiently high quality for distribution as la.v milk is pasteurised. In other words, the inferior milk is pasteurised. It was noted that lhe City Council intended to form a Board of Four to superintend the city’s mill: supply. The housewives wrote requesting that one member of the Consumers' Committee be elected to this boatd. as representing the majority of the public—the consumers —without whom there could be no milk industry. Replies had been received <a> stating that the council would consider the matter at its next meeting: and (b) that the matter had been deferred. Letters from the Auckland Housewives’ Association and Gisborne and Dunedin Housewives’ Associations were received.

To a request for reduction on postages of food parcels to England, (he Postmaster General replied that, he regretted being unable to authorise such reduction. He said: "Perhaps you are not aware that of the postage'charges collected in NewZealand, the greater portion is natd out to shipping companies and the British P.O. for overseas transport and delivery charges. Of the 2s, 3s 4d and 4s 6d charged on 31b.. Tib. and lllb. parcels respectively, the sums retained bv my department are merely 7M. Is and Is 4d. From these sums the N.Z. Post Office has to defray all the handling and transit charges in New' Zealand. And when it is remembered that many of the oarcels have to be transported jver tong distance —it will be realised that the amounts are barely sufficient for the purpose." The secretary stated that the Y.W.C.A. lounge had been taken for public meetings on the first Thursday in each month, the third Thursdays being executive meeting's.