MILK SUPPLY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19152, 8 November 1927, Page 12

MILK SUPPLY.

MUNICIPALISATION AT HAND. BEQUEST FOR LABORATORY The proposed municipal milk supply occupied the attention of the City Council for a considerable time last night, the Finance Committee being instructed to report on the matter. "Numerous requests have been received from local milk vendors that the Council establish a laboratory at which samples of milk submitted voluntarily could be tested, so that dairymen would be enabled to ascertain the condition of their milk," reported the Abattoir, Reserves, and Milk Committee. "It has, however, been - pointed out that the establishment of such a laboratory would, under certain circumstances, embarrass the Government in legal proceedings taken on official samples, and would undoubtedly cause duplication, which would entail unnecessary expense. The committee therefore recommends that the Department of Internal Affairs be approached with a view to its amending its present policy by allowing the Government Analyst to make tests of milk samples submitted voluntarily by milk vendors. "The committee recently submitted to the Council for consideration a report by Mr R, E. Herron, together with a number of suggestions made by dairymen 's associations aild others, and these were referred by Council to the Finance Committee f6r consider L ,ion. The Milk Committee has further considered th'e matter, and is of opinion that the time is now opportune for the institution of a municipal milk supply. It is therefore recommended that the Finance Committee be instructed to deal onlv with the report, prepared by Mr Herron, and that it consider the matter from the aspect of the possibility of municipalising the milk supply."

The Discussion. Cr. J. W. Beanland objected to the passing of the second clause. Cr. Carr said it had been pointed out to the Council that if the By-laws Committed decided to recommend certain reforms and these were carried out and it was found they were inadequate, the Council Avould be involved in compensation claims to those who had been responsible for the laboratory. He, the committee, and the Health Dopartment, were all in favour of the sealed bottle system. If the regulations were enforced, compelling the installation of bottling plants and then municipalisation was favoured, the vendors would have to be compensated. It was felt that the question should be handled in a thorough manner. He had been prepared to favour every possible alternative to municipalisation if such were effective, but the committee felt they were only playing with the question. Cr. D. Or. Sullivan said it was utterly impossible to get a Bill providing for municipalisation in Christchurch through Parliament unless the farmers who were interested were favourable. ''We would nut have a chance," he said. If this was not possible, they had to do the best thing for the citizens. "Take it from me," he said, "it would be impossible to get a Bill through, unless it was based on agreement with the suppliers." He suggested that the Clause be taken back and amended so that the Council's hands would not be tied. The clause would make it impossible for the City to do anything'with its supply. Cr. J. W. Eoberts said they had to go forward. "It has beCu the principle of the Labour Party to have a municipal milk supply," he said. Wellington had one, and there was no reason why Christchurch should not have one, too. He hoped Cr. Carr would not alter the clause. Christchurch would not have a good supply unless it was municipalised. Cr. Beanland and others dissented strongly.

"Question Must Be Faced." Or. P. W. Sharpe said the question had been under review for several years. They had arrived at a stage when it had to be facfid. He was prepared to stand by tho clause, if the word "only" was struck out. If thoy did not do something it would be to the discredit of the labour Party, and they would get some support from the other si de - £ Cr. G. K. Hunter said if the farmer had to abide by the Health department's regulations, the price of milk would go up. The vendors were divided, and no settlement was possible within Six or nine months. Or Clyde Carr said he was prepared to insert the word "primarily after in ffie concluding sen"lt seems to MG that thd committee are prepared to accept anything, said Cr. Beanland. Cr. Carr: AVill you Suggest something? „ , , Cr. Seaiiland: I suggest y6u scrap the whol6 thing. Cr Caff: We wbn t accept that.Cf." Beanland iboVed as an amendment that the matter be held over for twelve months. Thfs was seconded by (Jr. M. il. *Cr C'arr said he would Ij6 prepared to alter tli6 clause by the teletion of the word "ortly" after "deal, 11 and the addition of th 6 w6rd "primarily" after "matter." . The Mayor: Will tou accept that? Cries of no. Tho Mayor: The nofes Made the most noise, anyway.

A Division. The Council divi3ed on Cr. Carr'3 proposal to alter the clause, as follows -• . Ayes: Tlie Mayor and Crs. Sullivan, McCombs, Carr, Butterfield, and Hunter. Noes: Crs. MacfaiTane, Roberts, Manning, Sharpe, Andrews, Lyons, ~eaven, Herbert, and Beanland. Thus the motion was lost by 9 votes to 6. Cr. G. Manning congratulated the committee on bringing down the report

in order to endeavour to get finality in the matter. On the last occasion, that it was debated, the big question, be said, was that of getting farmers into the scheme. If the farmers were an obstacle they shoufd be offered an increased price for the supply of superior milk. He had been told by a farmer that if the City took over the milk supply he would come into the scheme, but he would not supplv private vendors. Cr. Manning said he was not present as a Labour mau to bolster the rotten system of private enterprise. Public ownership of the supply was the best solution of the question, "That is your kink, ' said Gr. Andrews. "They are all kinks on the other side," said Cr. Carr.

Mayor's View. The Mayor said that if Cr. Beanland's amendment was carried it would bo simply a polite way of putting the question ou one side. Cr. Beanland: It doesn't say so. The Mavor: But that is what it will mean. the milk supply of Christchurch was tho cause of a great deal of dissatisfaction. There was no City in the Empire more fitted for a municipal supply than Christchurch. He thought that Cr. Sullivan was wrong concerning his views of farmers, some of whom had told the speaker that they had been treated badly by • vendors. They hoped that if there were a municipal system set up the suppliers would get their money regularly. The Council was prepared to give the priyato vendors a fair offer, but would not allow a few dairymen to interfere with the progress of the City. He would point out that during all the raontihs the question had been discussed no effort had been made by Christchurch dairymen to improve the system. They bad the idea that they could play fast and loose, and it was his opinion that they would never improve the system.

Cost to Consumer. Cr. E. H. Andrews said the bulk of the Councillors did not know what they were up against, but he believed the Mayor did. It might he possible to get the support of the farmers, especially if more was paid ior the miik, as Cr. Manning suggested. The co.sb to the consumer would be more. They would see what would happen if they took their Socialism too far. Those ou the other side of the table were not game to back up their Socialism. ''What has happened to municipilisation of the fish supply?" lie asked. Cr. Hunter: Comingi any day. The Mayor: You haren't heard everything. Cr. Andrews said a blow at private enterprise was intended. The Mayor: That's what we are here for.

Cr. Andrews said they were attacking private enterprise, but that was how many members of the Labour Party had made their money. All that was needed was a stricter inspection of the source of supply and delivery. Conditions were quite different hero from Wellington. People coming hero from that City lauded our supply and decried their own. Cr. Carr: Oh! Cr. Andrews said he was satisfied municipilisation would increase the cost to the consumer.

"A Very Nice View." Cr. M. E. Lyons said Cr. H. T. Armstrong had had a very sane view on the question. Cr. Carr; I never felt more ashamed of him.

Cr. Lyons said Cr. Sullivan had tried to bring them back to sanity, but they threateneed to get off the rails again. "You don\ know where you are,'' he said. There was no evidence that the vendors had fallen down on their job. Back of the wholo question as the commonsense of the New Zealand Parliament and the ratepayers. Cr. Carr: You'll never get there. "A large section of the Wellington people still prefer their milk from the private vendor," said Cr. Lyons. There was a very real need to keep a small minority of producers up to the mark, and they would never do away with the heed for inspection. Cr. Sullivan said the amendment would have suited him. but now he was forced to vote either for or against the clause. He would vote for it. He had not criticised the-prin-ciple of municipalisation of the milk supply, and was quite prepared to support it if a Bill came before Parliament. "Let us look at the facts we have to face." he said. If they were to say they were going to have municipalisation and nothing else, they would not .be doing their duty by the citizens. The more businesslike course would be to give the Finance Committee a free hand to investigate the question fully, . and if it found that municipalisation was inadvisable, for the Council to {rive the citizens the best supply possible.

"A Waste of Time." Cr. A. W. BSaven considered it was a waste of time to bring up the matter. It had to be proved to the rate-

payers that it was to their advantage to set up a laboratory, and municipal milk system would best for the City. Cr. Carr said there were some wioug impressions l'or him to correct, was no suggestion of a * hre *J held out to anyone. Cr. ljc ®" la y had stated that 40 per ccn_. people of Wellington preferred to purchase their milk from. P"™ te dors. This could be explained by reason of allowing near-by farmers to comiwte with municipal enterprise, was not proposed to repeat that mistake in Christchurch. He stated that from March Ist to Juno 28th of the present year there were ® of typhoid in Montreal, and 403 deftths due to the milk being contaminated. The Health Department was unable to deal with the matter, and the City Council played with it. He mentioned this to show how important to public health n- good milk supply was. The clause was adopted by nine votes to five, the voting being as fol10Yves • The Mayor and Crs. Sullivan, Carr, Butterfield, Hunter, Macfarlane, Roberts, Manning, and Sbarpe. Noes: Crs Andrews. Lyons, Beaven, Herbert, and Beanland. The report as a whole was adopted.