THE MILK QUESTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 113, 30 January 1918, Page 6

THE MILK QUESTION

BEFORE THE COUNCIL AGAIN DAIRY FARMERS AND THE SITUATION The milk question was further con. sidered at a full special meeting of tie. the City Council last night. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) presided. , A deputation ' representing dairy farmers in the suburban districts waited upon the council to state their views. The speakers dissociated themselves from the statement made to the. council that the farmers would refuse, to supply milk to the city-, unless the station was established. Mr. G. P. Ciitley said the farmers had not given anybody authority to say , that unless the clearing statioff. was established they would refuse tw .. supply. The farmers represented by the deputation had no objection to the. clearing station, provided it was properly equipped. But they did notthink the Dairy Farmers' Asociation. should have full control. . Mr. R. J. Tarr said he had been debating the question for ten years. His idea had been a clearing house tor tue city, with depots where inspectors could examine the suburban milk, .tie aud others objected strongly to the threat of Messrs. Ward, Strand, and others to stop the milk. The producers did not stand for that attitude. If they could not win by fair means they would not turn to foul means. The producers were in favour ot a, clearing house if they could send their milk there and have it taken over and delivered by the municipal authorities. Hut they were not prepared to send their, milk to a clearing house, whereit would all bs mixed up before being ■handed over to suppliers, who would, have unlimited opportunities for spoiling it. He objected to the milk station being taken over by farmers. The Mayor said the only proposal was that the farmers should be responsible for the milk until it was placed in the suppliers' cans, the farmers then to scald their own cans. Mr. Crowforii said he did not wanfe the farmers to have anything to do/ with it. • Mr. Moir said he represented the farmers of Mangaroa, who scut about 500 gallons of milk to Wellington. Hewas greatly against tho Dairy Farm- | crs . Association having any control of tho station. The Mayor: "It was never suggested. Don't make any mistake about that." Mr. Luke read tho report to show that .the farmers had been asked only to send their milk to tho station and provide for the cleaning of their cans. Mr. Moir said he had not understood the report that way. The threat to stop the milk had not been worthy of attention. Tho producers had no such intention. (Hear, hear.) The Mayor protested against any words of approval from councillors at that stage. Councillor Fitzgerald: I shall exercise my right if 1 think fit. Mr. Cat-lev said he was not_ a, member of the suppliers' associationHo did not send his milk through the association, and did not wish to bo forced to do so. The Mayor: Why did you not oppose the clearing house in tho first place? Mr. Catley replied that he had written to the Mayor on the point, He> had always opposed tho clearing house. The Mayor said no protest had been, made to tho council. In answer to Councillor Norwood, it was stated that tho deputation represented about half the city's supply of milk. Tho farmers were iu favour of municipal distribution of-tho milk, and of tho clearing house under the major scheme, but they wero opposed to the present temporary stationMr. Tarr, answering further questions, said ho had resigned from tho Dairy Farmers' Association, of which he had been a director, about four weeks ago. Councillor Fitzgerald: Was the statement that if tho council did not erect the clearing station the farmers would not supply, merely au attempt to bluff the council? Mr. Tarr: Pure bluff. .The executive of the Farmers' Association did not represent the views of the farmers. Councillor Luckic said that until the last few days the council had received no indication that the executive of the association did not speak for the farmers belonging to the association. There were other members of tho association , not present that evening. Answering another question, Mr. Tarr said that the executive of the Dairy Farmers' Association had not the power to divert the farmers' iniik from tho city without consulting the. The agreement signed by the farmers gave the executive power to dispose of the milk, but tho farmers could break away if they wished. Councillor M'Kenzie said he had.' been informed that certain farmers wished to break away, but could not do so. Councillor Luckie said thq executive of the association had control of tho . milk supplied by the members, who i had signed tho agreement. It could divert surplus milk to the factories, after tho needs of the city had been met. The Mayor: Do you farmers think there is any benefit in the clearing house in fixing the liability for bad miik? Members of the deputation replied that they would rather have no clearing house. The system of inspection was sufficient, . The Mayor: Do -you see any benefit >"d the clearing house at all ? Mr. Tarr: Not for the suburban faimers. We welcome inspection. The more inspection we get the better for ', I us. But the case would be better met by the placing of an inspector on the trains. Then there would bo no delay at the city end. The deputation then withdrew. Discussion.in Committee. ; The Mayor said the council had al« '. ready spent an evening on the subject, and should be able now to deal with tho '. whole question. Ho suggested the counj cil should go into committee. lho council was going to handle the ques- , tion in the interests of the city, without i domination by either farmers or sup- , pliers. The work done in committee \ would be reported in open council, aud councillors could then state their views [ publicly. The council went into committee. ' Further Adjournment. The subject was d'scussed in comi mittee for two houis. The couucil then resumed, and the s Mayor reported that on the motion > of Councillor Norwood the following committee had been set u;> to inquire i into the whole subject, including the breakdown of tli3 clearing station and '• generally tlie best means of dealing I with the supply and delivery of milk ■to the city:—The Mayor, and Council- ■ lors Luckie, Wright, Bennett, M'Kcnzie, and Norwood. 1 It had been further decided, on the 1 motion of Councillor Luckie. that > further discussion should be adjourned until tho report of the committee had ; been obtained. The council rose at 10.45 p.m.