THE PRICE OF MILK

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2417, 24 March 1915, Page 7

THE PRICE OF MILK

TROUBLE PENDING' VENDORS AND SUPPLIERS A rather extraordinary statement was published locally yesterday in respect to contemplated trouble between the milk vendors •of Wellington anent the price of milk now and to be. In the paragraph referred to it was stated that the price of the milk vendors was at present Bd. per gallon, and it was sold to the public at sd.' per quart, or Is. _Bd. per gallon. This statement to begin with, the secretary of the Wellington Licensed Milk Vendors' Association (Mr. C. J. Duffy) states is incorrect, as everyone knows that the price to the public is at present 4d. per quart. Mr. Duffy also points out that the reference to the standardisation or breaking-down of milk is quite absurd, as milk is sold under the Pure Food and Drugs Act, and must not be tampered with in any way. It must show a minimum of 3.5 of" butter-fat, but 'even if it tested 4.2 it .could not be broken down without runninc the risk, of a prosecution and heavy penalty. Mr. Duffy states that the vendors sold the milk to the public as it was supplied by the dairy farmers, and 'not "standardised" as inferred in tho paragraph in question. The whole business is explained in a couple of circulars. The first of theso circulars was issued by the Wellington Dairy Farmers' Co-operative Association, Ltd., with 'headquarters at the Lower Hutt, . which it is stated covers about two-thirds of the supply of milk to Wellington. This circular notifies members .that a rise to lOd. per gallon was being made with the prospect or further rises, of which they (the members) would be duly notified. The circular then goes on to say:

. "Also please note that the association will not be responsible for payments for milk unless supplied to vendors who are approved bv the association, and unless the milk is put through the association in the usual way." That meant that every membor paid tne association (according to Mr. Duffy) $d. per gallon of the milk supplied to Qnnn/Vn n o d it „ was estimated that from daily gallons were "put through" Mr. Duffy'alleges a breach of agreement as to the price of milk on-the part of the association, which is clearly set out in a 'letter' which Mr. Duffy has forwarded to the secretary of the Wellington Dairy Farmers' Co-operative Association, and which reads as follows:— I(T> . "March 22, 1915. , Dear sir,—l am directed , by the members of.the above association (the Milk Vendors') to inform you that they have agreed to pay no more (tan Bd. per. gallon for milk supplied to them tomg the month of April by members of the. Wellington Dairy Farmers' Cooperative Association, Ltd In this connection I hare to draw your attention to a circular issued by your association to milk vendors, dated October 28,1914, when it was stated that tho minimum ; price of milk had been fixed as follows : —October 1, 1914, to February 28, 1915, 1^- g S on; Maroh 191 °> to April dU, 1910, Bd. per gallon: May 1, 1915, to August 31, 1915, 10a. per gallonpurchasers to pa'y all freight. On the ?"V' 1 " 36 prices, the milk vendors of the city fixed their price, and entered n ™ many contracts for the sale of oo i'm j i conference held on October -Hi,iyj.4, between directors of your association and my executive, Mr. Catley, your chairman of directors, stated definitely that the price had been fixed for twelve months, _ Notwithstanding the statement made in your circular and by Mr. Catley, the association now sends out a circular, dated February 27,1915, to the effect that the price for April will be lOd. per gallon, and that a further rise may be expected, and goes so far as to advise that members of the association should not enter into arrangements with' vendors. My members I wish to enter a strong protest against sfcch action, and consider that steps should be taken by your association to adhere to the terms of its circular of C J Duly B "*' -YOUrS faitWu "y (Sgd.) *? + P u H in S th „® vendors' side of the mattei Mr ."Duffy wishes to make clear that since last year the vendors have been put to considerable extra expense(l) on account of the Dairyman Employees Award; (2) the pasteurisation of milk (which costs from id. to Id. per gallon): and (3) the increased price 0 f horse fodder (which is double the price it was at this .time last year).