THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1920. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 30 June 1920, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1920. EDITORIAL NOTES.

] Wellington Milk Supply. Once 'gam Wt]i:on citizens arc experiencing ;* serious shortage of fresh : milk. Certainly the shortage is sot so marked as v.-a? the case last veer, but 1 it is a very serious matter, that is ] causing grave concern in the Wei- ; lington City Council. The Municipal ' —'l l l V Committee has scoured the whole ; | country as far north us bfapier and i I Fosters, and has been arable to,secure any additional .upplic-.-, and as the i j deadlock with the Featherston people —who refuse to supply unless an entranced price is given—continues, it would appear that the shortage will continue for some little tints to come. The Milk Committee Las worked very Lard to keep up the supply, and, under the circumstance.-, has done well. The tact is that, farmers are getting ;-ueh lucrative returns for their milk from other source,?, and winter d* re... _■ - accompanied by so much drudgery ; :. unpleasant condition-, that fanner.hesitate to take up this cla.s- of wort:. Councillor Bennett, in speaking on this question at the City CouncilV meeting on Monday la--. ~u p i o a farmer bad fold bin; that if h c had offered Liu: god a gallon he would nor "ot ua in the Lhree months ot the winter and work ; up to his middle in stud to supply milk , to the city. 37 and this accounts very largely for the position that obtains in 1 Wellington to-day. Winter-dairying is 1

; drudgery indeed; it also necessitates special feeding and care of the cows. while the yield, even under the best of condition*, is not nearly so quod as in the summer mouths. These facts must , be faced, and in order to secure ade- • quale supplies during the winter months very special inducements must be offered'dahy fanners to "produce the goods." Perhaps the very Lest means of meeting the difficulty is for the municipality to tackle the question at the very routs, and enter the farming industry themselves. A big dairy farm, run exclusively for supplying winter milk, would help materially to meet the situation. This is by no means a new suggestion, the matter having been very carefully considered by The Wellington City Council, which budy, we understand, is now fully satisfied that this step must lie taken in the near future. Such a move would entail a very large outlay of money, but it is imperative that steps lie taken to in- ; crease the supply of milk for the city for winter months, a matter that prej seats additional difficulties as the years j go by. and the proposed municipal j dairy farm will undoubtedly become an ) established fact in the near future. •Such a farm would need to be mauaged I by experienced, practical farmers, with a special view to its main object, viz., I the- production of milk during the win- | tcr months, when there is such a scarj city. There is little doubt that this I proposed farm will be in the Otaki disj frict, which, owing to its favourable climate and handy geographical posif 'on. possesses unique advantages for such tin industry. Of course; such a farm would not meet all Wellington's milk requirements, but it would assist very largely to meet the growing difficulty of meeting the demands. There will yet be ample scone for the enterprising dairy farmer. The majority of dairymen have as yet failed to give the required attention to fodder, shelter, etc.. for while r dairying, and, once these matters tire given the attention they deserve, (lie industry will assume much Liaxt'T proportions in lids favoured district, to which the city must look