THE MILK PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 278, 13 August 1918, Page 9

THE MILK PROBLEM

Sir,—The taking over of tho city milk ! supply by tho City Council is appreci-1 ated both by the farmers and townspeople alike: That is if tho council makes no halfway house,' but (jakeß tho whole business over, wholesale and retail, lock, stock, and barrel. I have been told by | many farmers who aro living in Levin and farther up the line that they are heurtily sick of the treatment dealt out to them by milk vendors. These fanners have been induced into sending their milk to Wellington, This, of course, happons in the shortage of tho milk season. After they have gone to a deal of expense in order to comply with the licensing regulation of sending milk to the city,- they aro politely told by tho vendoi —in tho flush of milk season—to rcduco his quantity, as tho vendor finds he is unable to take tho' full quantity, as ho can at that time of the year get a sufficient quantity of milk that will keep better nearer home. Eenco the far-away farmer is made •a convenience of. So is it any wonder that he prefers to send his miik to the factory instead of Wellington? In a similar manner, the email milkshops of this city receive the same treatment. . Tho vendor uses these milkshop people as a convenience on whom to dump his surplus milk in the (lush of the season. Then when the ehortago of milk comes on tho milk shops are cut right out without a drop of milk, as of 110 consequence. This is done in order that the vendor may hold on to his smaller but more remunerative customers. This is no exaggeration of the,methods adopted by some vendors. Tako my own case, for instance: A certain vendor of this city undertook to supply me with a certain quantity of milk. Od the assurance of this verbal agreement, I worked together a twenty-gallon milk round, and was selling another ten or fifteen gallons over the counter. Tho vendor allowed me to work this outside round up. Then he saw something more profitable to do with his milk than letting me have it at Is. Cd. per gallon (cash on delivery). Consequently I was left without milk and without any notice to that effect. The result is I have lost my round and shop trade as well. This, I should think, is the limit.—l am, etc., MILK SHOP.