MILK SUPPLY FOR THE HOSPITAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3844, 13 September 1928, Page 2

MILK SUPPLY FOR THE HOSPITAL.

A letter was received from the Palmerston North Hospital Board at Monday evening’s Borough Council meeting stating that the Board intended placing an amount on the estimates next year for the purpose of acquiring a further piece of farm land at Awapuni in order to extend the existing farm. The land it was intended to purchase, the letter stated, would carry a. cow to the acre. The Mayor (Mr. M. E. Perrean) said it was a courteous act on the part of the Board to notify the Council of the proposed addition to the estimates next year. Cr. Thompson, while not objecting to the inclusion of the amount stated in the estimates, expressed himself as opposed to Hospital Boards controlling their own farms. In his opinion they should be supplied by the general public, and if that scheme was adopted he thought the Boards would get on much better. Cr. Cowley mentioned that by having its own farm the cows were carefully tested for tuberculosis and other diseases. Cr. Thompson said that on the usual dairy farms, cows were inspeeted by a Government expert periodically about six times a year, and, if necessary, treated accordingly. He would not say that they were examined specifically for tuberculosis, but they were for other diseases, and an Agricultural Inspector would order an inspection for T.B. if there was any doubt about a cow. The Wellington Hospital Board was supplied by the public. In his opinion Boards could purchase their requirement far cheaper than they could produce them.

The Mayor mentioned that the Palmerston North Board had been carrying on its own farm for a good many years now, and had had good experience of the business. Cr. Thompson: It’s good land at Awapuni, but he would like to see it carry a, cow to the acre. Again he re-iterated his statement that he was in no way in opposition to the proposal to place the amount on the estimates and the matter was dropped.