CITY MILK SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 125, 20 February 1919, Page 6

CITY MILK SUPPLY

MEETING OF VENDORS.

A meeting of milk, vendors was held in tho City Council Chamber last night to consider further the organisation of the milk supply. There was an attendance of about 25 vendors. Councillor Bennett was in the chair.

The chairman said that he had called the meeting ut the request of vendors to consider again the proposal to form a company which would arrange the delivery of milk under the bloclc system. He had been pleased to get the request, because 110 believed that the formation of a single large company was the best means of dealing with all the problems that had arisen. Mr. H. Bodley moved: "That this meeting of vendors resolves that one company be formed to carry out tho municipal milk supply in accordance with the memorandum and articles of association presented at this meeting, ami signed by those present, it being understood that (he council will agree to any modifications of tlio articles of association proposed by the provisional directors and approved by Mr. Morison and the City Solicitor." Considerable discussion followed. Councillor Luekie said that it muat be paU' it to all that when the city was divided into blocks and the coupon system wi3 established, enormous economies would ':e cliected. Delivery would be easier, and there would be no bod debts. Vendors who held back would find that other vendors had formed a company, adopted the block system, and got (he best block. The economies would bo great, hut they were largely dependent 011 the formation of a single company. Tho shares of a vendor in this company wonkl depend 011 the extent of his business Tho council had carefully protccteu the interests of the small vendurs, and In- appealed to the vendors to real*.iso that the formation ol' a single largo company would be in tlio interests of all the" vendors as well as of tho city. The suggestion I hat individual vendors could keep down tho farmers' price better than n big company obviously was unsound. The city's milk had to bo bought in competition'with the Government, which had bought butter and cheese for two years at a high price. The City Council had guaranteed the vendors a margin, but that was dependent on the adoption of th» block and coupon system for the whole city. The system would be made possible by the formation of a single company. Tho oniv objection offered to tho single coinpnnv was the distrust of vendors of one another. A vole on the original motion resulted 111 its adoption by 11 votes to 9. Mr. Morgan said the Newtown vendors ivcro determined not to join the singlo company. .They would form a company cf their own. The vendors who supported the motion signed the articles of association. Tlio chairman said the articles of association would be open for further signatures till the end of tho week. Tiio Milk Committee would be ready to consider a proposal for the. formation of a second company. He could not bind tho comuiitteo in any way.