CITY MILK SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 263, 25 July 1918, Page 8

CITY MILK SCHEME

• INTERESTING AMPLIFICATION

SOME LIGHT ON OBSCURITIES

VARIOUS VIEWPOINTS

The scheme of milk supply and distribution forinnlly approved by the City Council is ono of the most important steps taken by 1:1mt body for some time past. Wellington has been considerably harassed for the. past three years with its milk supply, primarily owing to the war having raised the price of milk products, and, secondarily, owin|? to the manner in which, the city is isolated from large ureas of dairying country. In order to cast as much light as possible on the council's proposed undertaking a 'Dominion representative interviewed several of the parties immediately concerned, and, generally, the result shows a harmony of idea which should leud to a better state of things than Hint which has existed in the immediate past. Councillor Norwood on the Scheme.

Councillor C. B. Norwood, chairman of the special Milk Committee, said that, from inquiries made, the difficulties of securing a better milk supply would at first Ire hard to overcome, as milk was not being produced in many of the areas which Wellington lias hitherto depended upon, but (hat did not daunt them. Tho council would make efforts to go farther afield—even to Hav/ke's Jiay and Bajgitikci— to ensure an improvement in the supply, it was fortunate that tho winter climate made it possible to bring milk over long distances without serious deterioration, and the venturing into new fields of supply would not moan any sacrifice in quality. Thero was some difference <f opinion !'s to the valuo of the proposed country stations, but on the evidence gathered by a special committee which was recently appointed to inquire into the New York milk supply, it was found that milk carried over JOO miles to the city was entirely free from any of the trouble we had experienced, whilst that supplied from districts adjacent to the city (within a 30-mile radius) gave the most trouble. In the case of the long-distance milk it was properly prepared and cooled for the journey, while the home-produced article was not carefully prepared. So that with Hie milk maintained at a sufficiently low temperature it could bo kept for much longer than was ever likely to be necessary in the case of Wellington. As for the necessity of the stations, it was found that though they could take all tho niilk likely to be produced from certain farmers in the winter time, they could not do so in (ho (lush of the seasou—spring and early summer—and, as it was not convenient or economical for tho farmer to havo to treat with two markets, tho idea suggested itself to run tho assembling stations as factories, turning out butter, and possibly cheese, from tho surplus milk not needed by the city. By this method tho council would bo able to take the whole of tho output in certain quarters all the year round. That surplus (which amounted to a very large quantity in the year) would bo converted into the products mentioned, for which thero was always an unlimited demand. _ It was anticipated that the .profits arising from the salo of those products—and they had the best machinery possible available for their 6ale in the milk vendors themselves going from door to door daily—would tend to reduce tho handling charges, and so facilitate tho council's wish to keep the price of milk as low as possible. The council had little doubt that with theso more concrete proposals train facilities would bo provided to meet Wellington's requirements. The milk produced in tho nearer areas would have to bo delivered at the city station principally to be properly treated and distributed ae soon as possible after milking. Tho committee's scheme ] had the attractive feature that a proper J arrangement with vendors would assure an interest on the part of tho latter in the economic running of tho council's milk department. They were being asked to deliver milk for the council at a. price which gave them a bare living profit. Their renl profit and compensation would come at the end of tho year, when the accounts were made up, and would bo thfl residue, after the council had met the cost of the. milk nnd tho handling, and provided sinking fund, interest, and a small reserve of 2-1 percent. on tho turnover. The council would, therefore, be able to ensure to the public milk which had been properly treated without any expense to the city, and the economy effected by "blocking" the city would prevent any possibility of duplication, whilst the introduction of tho coupon systerii of payment would eliminate the bad debt cancer. It was believed that the new condition of things would provide the vendors an excellent return for their services.

It had been estimated by one of the. vendors that tho "block" system would mean a saving , of -M carts and -15 men. That was not the committee's estimate, but it was obvious to anyone looking into the matter that the saving would be considerable.

"I wish it to bo clearly understood," said Councillor Norwood, "that the committee's plan ouly provides for fine central clenrins-house, but for economy in handling the milk and for the general convenience of tho public it is proposed to have sub-stations or district dairies in different parts of the city.

"At tho present time the committee is fortunate in tha: the Board of Trade, the National Efficiency Board, the farmers, and the vendors am all interested and willing to do what they can to make the council's scheme a success; but the full co-opsnitkm of the citizens is equally necessary. It is not anticipated tiyit the citizens will reap the full benefit of the change at the commencement. This, like all bis; undertakings, will take some time to thoroughly organise, and it is hoped that if there are smnll inconveniences citizens will be sympathetic, and do llieir beat for the common good."

As to when tho scheme will come into force. Councillor Norwood so id that the council had first to <jct tV Government's sanction to the expenditure. If the.t were granted promptly, the council would tnko up the matter at the earliest possible moment consistent with prudence. Vendors' Viewpoint.

Mr. Williams (president) and Mr. A. J. JMhertcK Isecivciiry), ui tiics "WelliiiKtou Milk Voiuiors' Association, weie consulted its to Eiicir views on the now milk scheme adopied by the council. Speaking ior the member.* of the association, Jlr. i J cckoi!;ck said that tho .step taken by the council was one which, it successfully carnal put, should prove a remedy for the esisjng evils. It was no secret that the vendors for a lons time past had been dissatisfied with existing conditions, and any remedial measure, submitted to them by the council which would «nable them to dispose of their businesses without less and at the same time secure for the city a satisfactory method of supply and distribution would meet with their support. Under the block system proposed by Iho council it was obvious that fewer men would be engaged in the actual work of distribution. ,\hny of the men engaged in the milk trade carried on what' were known as one-man businesses. It was expected that tho council would make provision, in acquiring the businesses of such men, to prevent them being penalised by the smaller number of men that would he required under the new system of distribution. Tho association did not propose to mnke any statement regarding the country stations proposed, as they hardly came within their scope, of criticwm, but if Iho vendor, during tho two years stipulated, were to' , be compensated out of the proiils of those Hlalious, it was clear I hat they shoniil be worked with the ntr!Pt("»t attention (o economy consistent with ellicimcy. Otherwise the vendors would lie biting a risk with regard to I ho rompeiisaliiin promised. The council should also undertake «t (he end o! Hie Iwn y«ii- ? | n tako over such plant us miulit br , necessary for working the scheme. But what was to become of the re=t of the plant? That was a point they wished to ho satisfied upon. The coupon system was likely to bn approved by tho association, provided thore were, daylight deliveries, i.e., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. That should not bo difficult ..to arrange,

as the work in thoso hours would tempt a butter class of inuu lliuii wive offering under present conditions. It was believed, too, that with the block system one man would be able to deliver lit) gallons a day, against the present 40 gallons, as hie job would be a door-fco-door delivwy, instead of a house hero and thero. The block system had everything in its favour, it wus guod from an economical point of view and would eliminate the competition as between vundor and vendor—each man would have his own liltle monopoly. The association favoured the one central clearing station from which all vendors would receive their milk, providing a warranty was given them on receiving such milk for distribution. Tho vendors had always favoured a. clearing station —it eliminated tha risks arising through the dishonest farmer and tho dishonest railway man; and nfter receiving the milk from the station, (he guilt for adulteration or impurity could be readily fastened upon the proper person, and safeguards were being provided to prevent any illegal manipulation in that quarter.

Mr. Petherick mentioned that the association had been represented on a special committee of vendors who.had been working, in an advisory capacity, with Hie Milk Committee of (he council, in framing the working details of the scheme, which they all hoped would succeed. Wellington's Peculiar Difficulties. Mr. H. .A. Ward, secretary of the Wellington Dairy Farmers' Association, who was approached yesterday upon the subject of the proposals contained in tho milk report, stated that some such scheme was quite feasible. They talked about it being "a big thing,"'but he could not see why it was euch a big thing. Wellington, after all, was not a very largo city, and it only needed proper organisation to make the scheme practicable. Tb're were firms in America who could simply the wholo of New Zoalaml with milk. In one respect he thought the Milk Committee had "one astray. That was in the proposal to establish milk stations in the country. In the first place there were no one or two main localities where inn milk could be conveniently received and, secondly, tin: erection of stations was not going to create milk where no milk existed.

I would go as far as to say," said Mr. Hard, 'thai: if a station were erected between Palmoraton and Master.lon it would not at the present time get more than 200 gallons a day. That is easily accounted for. A certain flat price (Is. 0-id. per gallon, delivered in AVellingtou)\ is.offered tho larmer for his milk all the year round. That suits him admirably, as he has only the one herd to look aftea , , and his milking is confined to the eight or nine months of tho joar when tho working comlitions are easiest. That means that for three or four months of winter moat of the cows are oat of profit (not yielding milk), and all the stations erected by flio council will not bring them into profit." Mr. Wand conceded that there was a good deal to commend in the report, and there was more than a reasonable prospect of success if tlm scKs.ne wero properly handled. Tfo noticed it mentioned that, if the scheme of a municipal supply were adopted it would be tho first in the "world. He did not. see that such a fact should deter the council. Indeed, Wellington had been forced to do something by, ciircumsfances over which no one hail any control—tho geographical, or rather the topographical, position of tho place in relation to good dairying land. The Hutt Valley had been the natural source of milk supply for Wellington, but iu the few years; ho had been out there some ,10 per cent, of what was at one time dairying land had Iwen cut up fen , building and other purposes, and whilst the area of land used for milk production was becoming l<ss tho population of the city and the Valley itself was growing rapidly, an , ! naturally wauled more and more milk. Then at. the back of it nil the prices thnt were bninir offered by t]is factories for butter-fat (Is. Bd. to to.) paid the farmer as well, if not a little better, all'things considered, than sending the milk to the city. And all the time the sources of supply wpro drawing awav from ■Wellington, making the cost of handling freight more and more.