MILK FOR THE CITY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 103, 20 June 1913, Page 3

MILK FOR THE CITY.

Producer and Middleman.

Correspondence in the city papers shew thai a great amount of interest 13 being taken in the proposal to extend the .Sunday train service to Pukekohe so a3 to furnish Auckland with milk. PLENTY AT MANUREWA, BUT- - "Creamery Supplier" writes:— "In approaching fhe Minister for Railways regarding a Sunday train from Pukekohe for conveyance of milk to the city, Mr 'lansley is reported to have said in effect that sufficient milk for the city's requirements is not now available from the distiicts new served by Sunday trains —Otahuhu, Papatoetue, Manurewa and Papakura. 1 would like to ask Mr Tansley through your columns how he reconciles his etatement with tie fact thai Papatoetoe, Manurewa and Papakura e<i<-h run a creamery with a large supply of milk, quite sufficient to alone supply ths full requirements of Auckland city for some years to c:mj? This milk is not available for city supply, for the sole reason that the pries offered by the vendors ij not equal to the price paid for the butter-fat by the New Zealand Dairy Association, plus the value of the skim-milk for pig ard calf feed. If the mik vendors will offer a reasonable price thay will get more milk than the city can use from the above-named j-lacee." WHO REAPS THE PROFIT?

"Another Milk Supplier" has a hit at the profits made by the middleman aa again t thess made by the milk-producer, thus:—"ln reply tu Mr Tansley's report that the dairy retailers of Auckland could not get a supply of milk nearer Auckland The creamery suppliers of Manurewa missed the vital point in the supply of milk by not stating that the vendors in Auckland want all the profit. Last summer arid autumn they iiad the milk suppliers around Auckland under a guarantee to sjpply a certain amount of milk right through th= season of twelve months, commencing in September and ending in August, when they generally make fresh arrangements. Now the whole thing is that alter the suppliers pav freight on their milk to the city th2y receive from 7d to 7Jd per gallon, for which the retailers receive la 4d per gallon. 1 have been informed by a retailer that it costs about 2Ad to 3d per gallon to deliver around the city. That leaves them Cd clear profit after paying working expenses, surely rather much fur handling the miik? Let them raise the price 2d per fiallun and they will still have Id clear profit, which is more than djuble what the farmer get?, wno hag to make up Cor lossts in cows, ttc. Give the farmers a decent juice and they can get double the tjuantity cfjmilk they require quite d 033 to the city; but at present prices it pays better to send to th2 creamery where you have no guarantee to keep up. I think lam perfectly safe in eaying that the Papakura district alone could supply aboQt 7000 gallons of milk per day