THE MILK QUESTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 109, 25 January 1918, Page 8

THE MILK QUESTION

BEFORE CITY COUNCIL REPORT AS TO FAILURE SOUGHT INQUIRY TO FOLLOW VARIOUS VIEWS ON "BLACK WEDNESDAY"

The milk question was discussed at last night's meeting of the Wellington City Council. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said that his idea was that every councillor should have an opportunity to express his opinion in open council right away, and, after -debating the matter thoroughly, tho council should go into committee to see if a solution of tho difficulty could he arrived at. No one could deplore tho difficulties more than he did. The council had not gone idly into the matter, nor were they hurried by outside pressure. It was very nice for some people to suggest solutions, but outsiders did not havo to actually cope with the matter. Referring to the report of the experts to tho Health Committee he said that difficulties of finance had arisen. Tho council had agreed that the clearing house scheme would have te remain in abeyance a while. Then the farmers had come and demanded a clearing station. If, as was stated about town, the council had fallen in, they were not tho first who had done so. Tho councillors had not interfered with the expert at all. He did not think the difficulties were, very great if all would pull together. The "greatest difficulty now was that if the council went on with tho scheme thoy would be a- buffer between those-two contending factions—the farmers and the vendors. He had made suggestions to the two experts (Messrs. Ward and Oliver) who had made the following report to him that evening: "(1) Council to provide clearing house: This would place the clearing house in the same position as a market ; properly for the receiving, inspection and delivery of milk in largo quantities with the_ quickest dispatch- possible, but to be in no sense of the term a place for the storage, cooling or treatment of milk, and should bo open for the receivinn and delivery of milk from 6 a.m. to "4 a.m. (22 hours out of 24 hours).

"(2) Farmers to deliver milk to clearins: house: So far as the milk dealt ■with by tho W.D. Farmers' Association, no difficulty will arise, as the milk* will be 'consigned to the association, who will then convey same by .their own employees, or bv contract with a carrying firm to the clearing house. With reference to farmers, not members, they could make'their own arrangements either with the W.D. Farmers' Association or otherwise.

"(3) Vendors to take delivery at clearing house. The milk will be the property of tho farmers until vendors take delivery. The vendors' to take delivery within one hour of its having been passed by the manager, excopting any milk arriving after 7 p.m.; all such milk to be removed not later than 8 a.m., and any such not so removed will be held at the sole risk of tho vendor.

"(4) Council to make provision for cleansing and scalding cans, etc. Tho same, arrangement would apply to this question as the conveyance of milk from the railway station to clearing house, but a difficulty may arise as_to the farmers who arc outside the Wellington District Farmers' Association as to their part and expenses in connection with the working arrangements ; therefore, to make the success of the undertaking more assured and to avoid dual control a committee representing the Wellington District Farmers' Association and farmers outside of that association should be appointed to carry out the working arrangements. "(5) Council to provide tho testing and passing of milk. This would mean providing two testers and one manager. We have made inquiries and sre assured that a number of vendors representing about 2000 gallons daily will deliver as is the present custom (early morning delivery) when the clearing house reopens. This action will eventually induce all vendors to deliver as at present, although some disarrangement and annoyance with a section of vendors and the public must prevail for a few days. We would respectfully impress on you that in «mr opinion that although the clearing house will confer considerable benefits on the" producer tho public will not derive the benefits one would like to see them derive, as some of the milk delivered ;o the public will be as at present 36 hours old, while great quantities will be twenty-hour hours old at the time of delivery, and as a certain section of vendors are so antagonistic to the clearing house all complaints as to sour milk' will be blamed to your council, and we cannot improve upon the present arrangements until your council can take over the whole matter of delivery to the public. Then night shifts would be employed to prepare all evening's milk for delivery early tho following morning, and the bulk of the morning's milk would be delivered the same day.. Thus the milk would be pasteurised when neceswry, but always brought down to a low temperature (40 to 45 degrees), and would be newer at the time of delivery by twenty-four and twelve hours respectively. (Signed) Henry A. Ward, llobt. H. Oliver. , Councillor J. E. Fitzgerald: What is the added cost under that report? The Mavor was understood to reply that that' had not been worked out yet. „ It was here stated that le Horo farmers, supplying about two thousand gallons of milk to Wellington daily, wrote and telegraphed protesting against being compelled to pass their milk through any station controlled or partly controlled by the Wellington Dairv Farmers' Association. The Milk Vendors' Association protested against the treatment accorded its president (Mr. Williams) by the Mayor, and also against a statement to the Press by Mr. Oliver, the manager of the milk station. The Mayor said there was no discourtesy to Mr. Williams; he had been asked to retire from n certain meeting because the matter under discussion affected his business. Councillor R. A. Wright supported the Mayor's view of the Williams incident. He said tho council should not be wholly condemned for the events "of that unfortunate black Wednesday." He understood that in no part of'the world had a scheme of the kind been successfully carried through. What they should do now was to see if tho difficulties could bo overcome. But the difficulties bristled like spikes on tho back of a porcupine. Tho various interests wore out against one another, and when the council got into a hornet's nest like that its position, of course, was a difficult one. The chief difficulty the council had to face was that of tlie state of the milk. The night train by which milk came to Wellington arrived at any uncertain time between half-past ten and one o'clock. Councillor Fitzgerald: A beautiful railway service I It was clear that wn had been getting stale milk which had kept fairly well, as the vendors had pasteurised it. Then going to the farm, it had been stated that some of the milkingmachines were unclean. The farmers had threatened not to send milk to Wellington. Councillor Fitzger,ald: But will they do so?

Councillor Wright: They say sol Councillor Fitzgerald: But they are tile most accomplished bhiflersl A councillor: A factory has been erected at the Hutt. Councillor Wright said that there should bo another attempt to get tho i various interests to work together. If that • could not bo dono they were running their heads against a brick wall. The position was so perplexing that it recalled the suggestion of the Mayor for tho council to have a farm of its own. Councillor Fitzgerald said that though nil opponent of the scheme lie did not want to aggravate what was a recognised failure. Tho clearing houso scheme had been a ghastly failure, and tho only way to rectify matters was to put on an additional number of milk inspectors. Tho council should have nothing to do with the operations of the farmers nor tho opratious of the vendors except where tho public was concerned. Let the farmers have a clearing house if they wanted to, but let them pay for it. Councillor W. H. P. Jiarbcr said that tho scheme could not have been more seriously condemned than it lino been by Councillor Wright, the chairman of tho Health Committee. The trouble began with tho Railway Department, and that Department and the Government were responsible. There should bo a special milk wain, and vans should be insulated. Nonvans wero not insulated and milk was brought down iii the heat of the day. Councillor W. H. Bennett moved: "(a) That no further 6teps be taken, to establish a clearing houso foremilk until such time as the council is in a position to adopt the whole scheme, including the sale and distribution of milk, cream, etc. (b) That the demand of the Fanners' Dairy Association made to tho Mayor and some members of tho Health Committee that a building bo provided for the distribution of their milk to tho vendors and facilities for the proper dean sing of cans be acceded to by offering them tho building and appliances recently erected at a rent to be mutually agreed upon, (c) That the Minister of Health be approached with a view of appointing another inspector whoso duty it shall be to take samples of milk from the farmers' cans before the milk is distributed to tho vendors."

Councillor W. T. Hildreth seconded the motion. It was in accord with the stand which he had taken all through— that until the council was in a position to control the distribution of milk they should go no further in tho matter.

Councillor A. Vcitch supported tho resolution, and said it was on the lines of his attitude, from the start.

Councillor 0. B. Norwood said that tho members of the Health Committee who had spoken had condemned tno scheme. Some of these tilings should have been said to the council before tho council was asked to go in for the scheme. Theie had been a serious blunder, and he would like to see a report and an inquiry. There should be a comprehensive report as to the c.iuso of this failure. It was waste of time to lease the clearing house to a certain section of individuals. He moved in amendment to the effect that definite settlement of this matter should be held over till the council had had a full report from experts as to the failure and a full report as to the cost of enlargement, if necessary, and tho Bent method to boost up delivery to the city. Councillor G. Frost said that between two stools the council had como to the ground, and had wasted a lot of tho ratepayers' money. He thought that better results would have been obtained if the Government had come to their assistance. Tho Railway Department bad considerably hindered operations. He favoured the idea of a report and an inquiry, and therefore seconded the amendment. . Councillor M. F. Luckie said that it appeared that the council rushed into the scheme far too hurriedly. The experts had fallen down on the job, but there must be a way out. It was no good saying the past should be glossed over: they should dig into the past -i that "Black Wednesday" to find tho reason of the failure. Councillor M'Kenzie also supposed the amendment. He favoured mil inquiry. The method of handling our milk was primitive, and a big deputation should wait on the authorities to show that it was time the Railway Department was run for the public, not for tho Department itself Councillor J. Godber said he felt disgusted at the failure of tho scheme, but did not think that there was no hope of success. . ' Councillor J. 0. Shor and said that if tho clearing station had not been built Wellington would have been short |of milk; the farmers had demanded a clearing house. ' Councillor Norwood's amendment was. carried, and the matter innv be consid- ! ered on Tuesday evening if the report asked for is available.

REPLY TO Mil. STRAND

' (To''tho Editor.) Sir.-In reply to Mr. W. S. Strand regarding the Dairy Farmers'' Association I Sesire to enlighten the public on a few points. The Farmers' Association consists of shareholders repreS dairy farmers n the Hutt and Manawatu districts. The milk po--Ireed bv each member automatically becomes the property of the association and the association directs the farm to whom his milk is to be sent. So far is the vendor is concerned, the owner 0 the milk is the Dairy Farmers' Association, which receives payment from he vendor. The vendor has no powe to contract with any member of the association. All negotiations between vendors and farmers must pass.through tho association. The association reserves the right to stop supplies to ".dors at short notice. Tins has been done to my knowledge on different occafis and loss to vendors has resulted S fe some supplies received through He association had been stopped and vendors had made up the^deficiency outXthe association, the Farmers' Association had then stopped the balance of s,W es. This shows the attitude the Ea mers' Association is prepared to i i- in secure allegiance or Sirs to iS. lamiladtosay 1 "a number of farmers recognise the cssivfor freedom in controlling heir ontput. and now. send their suppUesto vendors of their own choosing, 1 d ignore the instruction of the Da y Farmer*' Association to send their ,p ies to any rpecified vendor. This ev ences a recognition by,some of the X of the restricting control exercis d by the Farmers' Assocation, and diring recent months I have been able to obtain for my d.snosal ,00 gallo s of milk per day which berore were \»Mo v the assoc ation, and moreies. In m> opinion the present proCa of the Mayor to hand, the clearZ r station over to the dairy farmers WU result in the Dairy Farmers' Association obtaining such a_ controli over i *i,nt the vendor's freedom or restricted and the nub ic will be the sufferers.-I am, etc,, public win r H WILLIAMS ,