MILK FOR WELLINGTON

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 213, 3 June 1920, Page 5

MILK FOR WELLINGTON

Sir,— Being a milk produccr-in a largo way, I was naturally interested in Mr. W. Barton's letter, which appeared in this mornings Dominion. I am not desirous of making this a personal matter with Mr. Barton, as he distinctly says that he and others have placed themselves—or rather their produce—in the hands of the Co-operative Association to deal with. Now, Mr. Barton is eithef right or wrong, but has ho told only part of the story?

Mr. Barton says that it costs 2s. 50. per day to keep a cow, which means that the cost of keeping a herd of thirty cows for four weeks would be .-6101 10s. I should very much like to know how ho arrives at those figures. I understand, Sir, that Featherston has been offered Is 3d. per gallon for the whole of its milk at the factory door, and has refused to let it come to Wellington because it cannot get Is. Gd. for it at the factory. Now, unless the men who were supplying that milk and having it turned into cheese wero well-to-do, they could not afford to turn down tho offei of Is. 3d. per gallon, which is a much higher price than has ever been paid before.' For instance, if Featherston produces 700 gallons of milk per day at an average test of i per cent, butterfat, and turns this into cheese, receiving payment at the rate of 2s. per lb. butter-fat, it would' realise ,£29 Bs. If the same quantity of milk was sold at the factory at Is. 3d. per gallon, ii would realise tho 6um of 15s, Therefore the daily loss is 75., and the loss for a period of four weeks would be £101 IG.

Now, Sir, if it does not pay to produce'milk, how is it that the price of dairying land is going up, and still up? My reason for writing is because I think that, taking everything into con* federation, we have had a good time during the past four years; in fact, the best time that the dairying industry lias ever had in New Zealtvjd. Moreover, if our dairy produce goes higher, it will only increase the price of land, thus making it harder instead of easier for those who desire to go into this industry, at the eamo time putting thousands into the pockets of the few who now hold the land. \ I niay be wrong, but I consider then, is only one way to bring about a reduction in tho .cost of living, and that is Toy sacrifice. If we, the producers—] do not mean "milk producers" only— who have had more than good times, do not make a start, how can we expect our fellowmen in tho cities to practiso it? Taking the population of Wellington at 70,000—the milk at present going into the city is only about 3500 gallons daily—tho quantity for each person if ■there were equal distribution would be one-twentieth of a gallon (or one quart between five people). What, then, can the children and invalids get? Not, Sir, one quarter of what they sEould. I am a great believer in co-operation— none more so—but let us endeavour to co-operate together, town and country. Let us producers commence work on that old advice: f 'Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you," and if that spread throughout the Dominion tho cost of living and other problems would very scon be solved—l am etc.

W. T. STKAND. Lower Hutt, Juno 1, 1920. Tin consequence of tlio preset®; on °" r , syacoj Mr. Strand's letter has been slightly abbreviated.—Editor Dominion.]