A HOSPITAL FARM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 287, 23 August 1918, Page 6

A HOSPITAL FARM

THE PRINCIPLE APPROVED

SPECIAL COMMITTEE SET UP

At (ho meeting of the Wollington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday Mr. P. Castle moved :—

(1) That in order to ensure a nioro certain supply of milk lor the board's requirements, steps bo taken to acquire, either by lease, ordinary purehase, or by resumption, it' necessary, a suitable aiea ot land for the establishment of a milk farm.

{'2) That a special committee bo appointed to inspect properties suitablo for a milk farm, mid to report their recommendations to the October meeting of the board.

In moving tho first molion Mr. Castle referred to the action the Wellington City Council was taking in regard to milk supply and distribution, and pointed out how doubly important it was that tho milk supply for tho Hospital should bo absolutely ensured. In tho Hospital over 100 gallons of milk a day were used, and that supply, together with the cream needed, cost the board over a year. Somo time ago the board had decided on acquiring its own farmland it had gone into iho question of suitability of sites, but with no result. Since then the board had secured a satisfactory contract with Mr. Strand, but it was most important that it should be in a position to bo reasonably- sure of the quality and tho quantity of the milk that would bo required by the Hospital in tho future. If, as the past year had shown, Hie milk supply for Wellington uncertain, tho board must seo that the inmates' of tho Hospital did not want for theirs—and it must not bo dried milk, or condensed milk, or ship's milk. Tho board would have to purchase a convenient dairy farm; that was the only possible course it could take. It could get exports to run tho farm, just as it got experts to run tho bacteriological and other branches of hospital work. The difficulty in the way of getting a fair, quantity of milk was that so much was being diverted to other channels—it was being diverted to tho butter, cheese, and driedmilk factories. There was no shortago of labour—the milk was simply being diverted to other and possibly more profitable channels. The farmer found that ho could have an ensier time by sending his milk to the factory than by sending it into town to bo consumed by citizens. If lie followed the latter course he had to work all the year round, but if he sent his milk to the factories he need only produce during the best time of the year. That was a great consideration to tho farmer. The policy of the board should be to produce its own milk—milk that could never be diverted. The 1 cost, ho considered was a secondary consideration. He admitted that public management sometimes meant higher cost, but that extra cost, if any, should not weigh against tho certainty of supply and surety of quality. Ho favoured obtaining a farm by re-, sumption. That was, if a dairy farm, conveniently situated, could not bo purchased at a reasonable figure, the Government should be approached to resume it under the Public Works Act. The farm must not bo very far from the city. He believed that tho Minister was seized of the difficulties, and tho fact that the public supply of milk to AY'ellington was threatened, and would support tho board in the proposal ho was making. Mr. van Staveren seconded the motion. Mr. I'. T. Moore said that the Wellington City Council was about to institute a new system of milk distribution in the city, and as a believer in the municipalisation of such services, he hoped it would succeed. Tho trouble would be the supply. Whilst tho supply was left to private hands, they went in for cows that guvo large milk yields irrespective of quality—they wont for strains that would milk heavy, as they were paid in bulk by the gallon. In an institution of this sort tho quality of tho cows should be studied—they should all bo absolutely free from tubercular or other diseases. Everything should bo good—they should have good land or nono at all. Tho land should be of tho very best, and tho herds of tho vtry best, and they could be got now through tho splendid milking strains being bred at Levin and l'orirua. He thought that it was only a matter of a few years when Iho Wellington City Council would have to acquire its own farm lands in order to provide for the city. The board, too, would before long perhaps have to grow its own potatoes and meat. There were thousands of tons of potatoes in this country, but tho growers preferred to let them rot in the ground in order to force the public to pay an exorbitant price. "I niet a man myself tho other day," said Mr. Moore, "who told me that he had over a hundred tons of potatoes, but if he could not get .£ls per ton, ho would let thorn rot in tho ground. We've got to get to bedrock and take a lead. We will have to be honest in getting the best possible land, and honest in getting file best possible herds, and then if we get honest management, without any wire-pulling, we'll be accomplishing something worth while." The Rev. Dr. Elliott said that when this question came up some two or three years ago ho had opposed it on tho ground that for tho particular farm put forward the price was excessive, and it was not conveniently situated. If such conditions again developed in this fresh proposal he would still be opposed to it. He praised tho civic authorities j for what they were tryng to bring about, and suggested linking up with them. Mr. W. J. Thompson said that at present tho City Council could not guarantee any supply. The council was trying now to fix up the'city supply for next winter. Ho thought (he board should take the matter into its own hands.

Mr. 13. G. H. Burn said that if tho board could Ret a reliable man to supply them as in the past, he doubted very much if it would pay the board to go in for a farm.

The chairman stated that the present contractor (Mr., Strand) was going into camp in October, and he also intimated to the board that Mr. Strand had informed him that, in view of a recent magisterial decision, the board would, for the future, have to taks the whole responsibility for the condition of tho milk, or atmd out to the farm for it.

Mr. Burn said it would require a very largo farm to produce 100 gallons a day all the year round. It was a big contract—ono wanted more " than fiftyacres for it. It was all right in. the Slimmer when they had a double supply, but in the winter it was different, and the cows had to be fed. Still lie would support the proposal as there was no •harm in making investigations, in regard lo Mr. Moore's strictures on the farmer, which he did not agree with, he drew attention x o the inspector's report on milk examined in the train whilst on the way to Wellington. Only one can out of hundreds was found to'contaiu added water. It was not the farmer who watered this milkit was the retailer, and he hoped that, when the City Council took up the distribution of the" milk, it would take on the same responsibility as the vendors did. Mr. J. W. M'Bwan mentioned that farm properties submitted lo tho board had been reported "on by Mr. Field, (of the Agricultural Department). He could not agree with Mr. Moore as to the hrmer. lie was out to ninko a motit. If' his farm was a poor one, ho tried to make it pay as well as lie could, t was human nature, and they wore all subiect to such frailties. The farmer was doing what every member of tlm board would <lo as business men. He said that tho best land would have to be obtained. Ho supported the proposal. The motion was carried, as was also the covering motion. On the motion of Mr. Castle, tho following Special Farm Inquiry Committee was set up:—Messrs. F. Castle. F. T. Moore, John Smith, 13. G. H. Hum, H. Baldwin, "D. Campbell, and Mrs. M'Vicar.