THE MILK PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 81, 31 December 1918, Page 6

THE MILK PROBLEM

' SOLVED AT LAST

BLOCK SYSTEM COMING

AGREEMENT BY VENDORS

"The, Wellington milk supply question may bo regarded as satisfactorily Bottled." This announcement was made yesterday by the Hon. Or. A\:,. liussell, Minister of Internal Affairs. "It will bo remembered," said Mr. -Russell, "that on the strength of the War Regulations dealing with the sale of milk in boroughs, which wero made in September last, power was given to tho Minister of Interim! Affairs to declare that in any borough in rospeel of which -the'regulations were in force it should <-bo unlawful for any person other than ;.tho corporation to soil or deliver milk, or to have milk in possession for sale, save under license issued by the council of-the borough. These regulations were passed for tho purpose of enabling lhc Wellington City Council to give effect to the proposals which had heon before : v ihe citizens for some time past, to obtain practically « monopoly of the milk supply business. In view of the isolated position of Wellington from its sources of supply it was considered advisable to give the' council every encouragement in' for the putting into forco of 'these regulations. ~ "During the recent session of Parlia;ment a local Bill was introduced which gave the council exceedingly large powers -for the purpose of securing a monopoly of tho milk business. This'Bill had not '■been dviy advertised according to the 'Standing' Orders, and when it was ; brought before the Local Bills Cunnnit- • tee.of the House it was seen that no provision whatever had been made for ! the protection of the vested interests of [ those who had'been'engaged in milk ; vending within the. city. If the Bill ' bad '.passed it would have made it po.-> ; sible for the council to have confiscated ' the interests of the vendors without any compeiisalion. In view of this I felt .bound to oppose the Bill as, it then ■ stood, and it was withdrawn by the member in charge of it, Mr. J. P- Luke. "Since the close .of the session there 'have been several lengthy interviews j between the Milk Supply Committee, and [myself with- a view of endeavouring to i overcome this difficulty. The council ■'has in the meantime invested a con■siderable sum of money in anticipation \of the milk regulations being brought 'into force; The desirability of impvov- ■ ing the milk supply of the. city was so ! apparent to me as Minister of Public ': Health that I considered it was eminently desirable that every possible'means i of overcoming the difficulties should be '■. investigated. At the conference which 1 took place a few days ago I drafted certain proposals for the protection ot : the vendors, and submitted them to the !-3lilk Supply Committee. The proposals, '/which werei as follow, were accepted by 'the committeo in globo: (1) The council agrees that subject to good behaviour and to the vendors ; giving' satisfaction they shall be '. licensed to deliver milk for a period i of two years certain, and such longer

;.. period as the council may determine. ."' ■ (2) Tho businesses shall be valued 1 on the basis of £3 per gallon of !''■ daily delivery, and if the council de- ! sires to determine the arrangement !'■ made with any vendor, except for mis- !''.", behaviour, and the council has ascerrained that the extra profit over and above the cost of delivery is less than the estimated value of the business

| of the vendor, the council shall pay i fo the vendor the diilereneo between :... such-extra profit and .such estimated '■'■'■ value; . ~ (3) Businesses and contracts shall be assignable with the consent of the ■'. .council. i .. (4) Vendors are to receive not less ; ;than 7d. per gallon for delivery under i. , the blocking and coupon system, i' ■ (This does not cover the cost of the i milk, for which, of course, tho council would have to pay.) ' , "In accordance with the arrangement between the Milk Supply Committee and myself, the council has obtained ■ 'the- signatures of 23 vendors, representing 4460 gallons of milk daily, to the '■ above agreement. - Five vendors.' renrevtenting 420 gallons, refused to sign; two ! vendors,- representing 60 gallons, were i called upon,but were not found at home; : and there are four vendors, representing ,' 150 gallons, living in the country who Lliave not been seen. :• '--Tho position, therefore, is that tho ;. council has obtained, the signatures of (23- vendors, representing 4460 gallons, while- tho signatures of eleven vendors, -representing 610 gallons, have for a f'[variety of reasons not been obtained.

■ ilndar these circumstances I have decided to bring the Milk Supply Regula!'t'ions, 1918, into force in the city of Wel- ;. lington as from January 20, 1919. The , interests;of the.vendors have, in my opinion,- been protected absolutely. The oro- , posals recommended by me to the council •-for assuring the interest of vendors, have ,"been, accepted, and it is impossible to i" allow-'a''small minority of 'objectors, to what.l. believe will be, with jtsoiind .'administration, a very great ref!.;form."