THE MILK STATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 100, 22 January 1919, Page 8

THE MILK STATION

A SATISFACTORY OPENING

WORKING SMOOTHLY ,

Reports .are that .the milk station ran quite satisfactorily during Monday night and yesterday morning, during which hours all the milk offered in the city for sale yesterday was received and treated, and -then sent out for distribution by tho vendors. This is regarded by tho management as a good beginning, for it was feared that owing to the station and plant being practically untried, and tho place noD quite ready, and the staff inexperienced, there "might be hitches. None of these occurred, and it is confidently hoped that when everything is in proper working order the working of tho station will bo even smoother. One of the difficulties at present is the irregularity in the times of arrival of flhe motor-loi'ries bringing 'the milk from the country. The men in charge of the cars! are for the present col; lecting tho milk and getting into the station as soon as they are able. Sometimes if will occur, as it occurred last night, that there will be times when no milk is coming in, and times when more than one car is waiting to discharge. It is hoped that this trouble will bo eliminated in future. Times will be fixed for the several runs, and the cars will run to schedule, .

The introduction of, the blocking system and the use of coupons for payment will be introduced r as soon as possible. At first the idea of the Council Committee was that all the vendors should unite to form a company in order that the cp:>:icil might be able tho more easily to deal with them under the complete scheme, but it now seems probable that instead of one company there may be more than one group of distributors. This will not make difficulties for the council, and the scheme will be possible of early introduction as soon as the distributors -have made up their minds what they wish to do.

It is worthy of remark that this undertaking of the city of Wellington is one that has riot been tried ; by any city or town in any other narfc of the world. At ■ any rate, no information has been procurable about nny_ similar venture! by any .municipality in any country. There are some municipalities who have done something of the sort to pFovide pure milk, but always this U milk for special punjoses—such as milk to be .given to infants or invalids. No other city has tried to supply pure milk to its whole population. What Analysis Showed. \. "An excellent onfylity of milk is being' sunpliod in Wellington," stated Councillor Norwood to a Dominion, reporter last night. Continuing, be said that on' Monday night an expert at the clearincc'istation collected samples of all •suppliers' milk and 'tested each. Samples were also sent to the Government Laboratory,'where they were again examined, and the results of the expert's analysis were confirmed. The standard of pure milk provided by law, which has been declared to be too high when various cases.have been before the Wellington Courts, is 3.25 Tier cent, butter-fat and 8.5 per 1 cent, otfier soVids, making the. total solids 11.75 per cent. The Government Analyst's tests showed that the njilji contained from 3.95 per cent, to 4.1 per cent, butter-fat and 9.20 to 9.37 ,oer cent, other solids. The total solids were frcm 13.15 per cent", to 13.47 per cent. "Once the milk leaves the station vendors are not allowed to take it to their premises. Vendors who do so are liable to punishment," ,idded Councillor .Norwood. Over supplies are .allowed to be'returned, and this should put a stop to deliveries of. stale milk. Milk taken at night in the Wellington district, as far .out-as Otaki, for instance, is through the present scheme delivered to Wellington' householders before breakfast, the following morning. 'There is in this point at least twelve hours' difference between the old and the new methods of delivery. "No complaints of faulty'"working of the scheme- were received at' the station yesterday," said Councillor Norwood, "but on the other hand complimentary remarks were made by several vendors." \