MUNICIPAL MILK SUPPLY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19177, 7 December 1927, Page 13

MUNICIPAL MILK SUPPLY.

TO THE EDITOR 0? THE PRESS. Sir,—May, I crave your indulgence for the purpose of traversing some of the statements made by Mr 11. E. Herron in liis report to the City Council on a municipal milk supply by the Ghristokurcli City. Councd? On a careful perusal of the report I find that the writer has carefully omitted any mention of the hardships meted out to small farmers, milk suppliers, in Wellington. For example, ho states that tho City Council would be willing to pay one shilling por gallon to the supplier at the farm gates. As a matter of fact what the Wellington City Council now pays to the supplier in that city is 4a per gallon for milk giving a 4 per cent test. Again, tests there are carried out by the Council's officials and the farmer has no right of appeal against the Council's decision. Yet this same milk is sold, irrespective of quality, at top price to the consumer, no matter what the test may be. Is this an assurance to the consumer of the quality and purity of the milk supplied? Moreover, this milk is sold at 7d per quart during the winter months, before the te6ts are known. When this 4 per cent, milk reaches the consumer it has suffered a reduction, in some unexplained way, to 3.8 per cent, of fat. I have this information from the highest possible authority. Mr Herron states that consumers may be assured of the quality and puritv of the milk supplied. How can they be sure of this when, as was the case in the early days of the system in Wellington, milk was drawn from unregistered dairies?

He further states that producers will obtain due and proper encouragement in producing and supplying milk ot the necessary high standard of qualitv. Will the Council be helping and encouraging the producer to supply good milk bv following the example of the Wellington Citv Council, which prevented the small farmer-producer from buying supplies of fodder such as hay, chaff, pollard, etc., (or *ns B to C k during the winter months? In this way the Wellington authorities forced the

small farmer at one time to purchase his milk from the Council to supply his own customers, when the same farmer had a farm of his own and cows for which the authorities 'would not allow him to purchase food. In this way the Council endeavoured to force the consumer to leave the private supplier and transfer his patronage to the Council. Another way Wellington helped the small farmer was by preventing one farmer from helping another to tide over a period of shortage for more than fourteen days. With regard to the "Price Fixation Tribunal,'' referred to by Mr Herron: Is there any guarantee that the present proposed price of Is per gallon will be continued? If this price is to be .permanent, why appoint a price fixation tribunal? Does this mean that the price paid to the C'hristchureh farmer-supplier will_ be reduced at the first meeting of this tribunal to from 4d to 8d per gallon, the rate that is now being paid to the Wellington producers ?

Regarding compensation: The report contains no reference to the source from which it is proposed to raise the necessary funds to meet claims arising under this head, nor for the payment of the services of the members of the proposed tribunals.

Zones: W r ho is to be- empowered to allot the zones for the distribution of milk by existing producer-vendors, who are to have their present rounds compulsorily acquired? Tokens: Is it proposed that the Christchurch City Council should follow the example of Wellington by issuing tokens to be paid for in advance, while at the same time the suppliers will not be paid until the 12th day of the following month, thus making a six-weeks' interval before the first payment will be made to the producer ? Restraint of trade: Are our Canterbury farmers aware of the fact that the Wellington City Council endeavoured to prevent farmers from selling mere than 30 gallons of milk per day from any one farm, no matter how many gallons such farm was capable of producing? Does this comply with the present demand for efficiency? , Again, if the Wellington pasteurised milk is so pure and nourishing, why _is it not used entirely by the Wellington Hospital authorities?' These are a few facts for our farmer friends to ponder, and a few questions I would like answered.—Yours, etc., LAC.