MAN ABOUT TOWN.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 610, 23 December 1871, Page 2

MAN ABOUT TOWN.

THE MILKMAN'S MEETING.

Dick, as the only purveyor of asses' milk, attended the meeting of milkmongers last night at Newton Hotel, and was unanimously voted to the chair. The meeting was well attended, and the chairman recognised amongst the numbers present Mr Kempthorne, importer of milk of sulphur and cream of tartar; Rev Warlow Davies, instiller of the milk of human kindness; an elderly lady whom the chairman recognisod as an unwilling frequenter at the Police Court as a proprietor of wandering goats, attended in her capacity of milk vendor also; Mrs Ryan, who contributes more to the corporation funds by way of fines than any ratepayer in Auckland city, was also present; George Staines, the people's champion, attended as a deputation to watch the proceedings on behalf of the public ; and several large dairymen and great cowherds. The chairman read the following correspondence": from Joseph May and Every Maclean, Esquires, giving explanations of absence; from the public analyst, the public vaccinator, and inspector of weights and measures, all excusing themselves on the grounds of being engaged at the Mechanics' Institute; and a letter sjgned B. J O'Sullivan as secretary to the Provincial Council, informing the meeting that in ihe event of any rise taking place in the price of milk, eau de vie would be substituted by the Council for cafe au lait.

The first proposition put to the meeting was by a gentleman in a white smock frock, " That a green case of Geneva (JDK & Z brand) be forthwith ordered for blending purposes, the mover having provided three barn gallons of pure milk." Mr Staines moved as an amendment that " red case " be substituted for the words "green case." The amend r™.'Be i c'' <.fas carried nem. con. i GJ£cates, arJiik was then the order of ■••ifcy of fji' was freely discussed. The nt ~_ put was that as "Smart's Goat Extermination Act," would come into force on Ist January next, the meeting was of opinion that the price of "new milk from the cow" should be raised at li . t one penny per quart. This was seconded by Mm Kyan, who complained bitterly of police persecution of a "lone widow." Some discussion took place on the motion, a dairyman present said that something must be done, especially if the dry weather lasted as his well was nearly empty, another remarked that the small rise in price would make little difference to the customers; while the mover, replied that it would make no difference whatever to a large majority of them, as they never paid their accounts. Mr Staines moved as an amendment that instead of raising the price they should reduce the quality, a measure that he considered would be more likely to meet the views of the public outside. The amendment lapsed for want of a seconder, and the original motion was carried. An animated discussion then took place as to the standard quality of the milk to be maintained amongst the purveyors, the Thames delegate holding that the more it was washed the purer would be the quality. However, the Auckland milk vendors declined to fall into the views of their neighbour, who was evidently thinking of amalgam. (He drowned his chagrin in a bowl of milk, diluted with De Kfuyper's distilled water.)

An association was then agreed to be formed, in order to provide against such contingencies as the loss of cows, drying up of wells, and other misfortunes incidental to their calling. A committee was appointed, consisting of the chairman and other -influential producers, to carry out preliminaries, amongst which was : A deputation to wait on his Honor the Superintendent to enquire whether it was his intention to proceed immediately with the boring of artesian wells, and if the works would be carried out in the vicinity of the various dairies in the suburbs ; the prinbing of a placard with " Poor Trust is Dead," and an appropriate illustration (left for the chairman to design), and the engaging of a collector for the association, whose qualifications are to be unquestionable, character irreproachable, references unexceptionable, and security undeniable. This was unanimonsly considered indispensable. The hat then went round, and £18 7s collected towards preliminary expenses. At the pressing request of the meeting, Mr Staines sang "Martha, the Milkman's Daughter," and the meeting separated after the usual allowance of thanks being voted to the chairman.