MILK IN SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 390, 23 March 1937, Page 4

MILK IN SCHOOLS.

POSITION IN STRATFORD. Committee’s Action Resented by Department. The School Committee last night discutsed the question of a milk-sup-ply to the children under the Government proposal, and the preliminary steps ttaken in connection with it were explained. Beyond advertising for prices as to the cost ot the milk, as well as the bottling and delivery ot same to the school, nothing had been done, and it was bLlieved that even that action had not met with the approval of officials of the Health Department. It was decided to forward the information received to the Department. The secretary (Mr G. A. Carter) reported to the meeting that three responses had been received to the advertisement calling for tenders. Officers of the Department of Health appeared to be disturbed, he said, at the action of the committee in adverting, and In effect said the cominitree should not have done it. One tenderer stated he was prepared to dsiliver the milk at the school in bulk (not bottles) for Is 3d per gallon. A lady member considered the price was very dear. Another tenderer agreed to bottle the milk (supplied), provide a vehicle for delivery and collect empty bottles, also a straw for each bottle, as well as carry out other details in connection with the scheme tor lid per dozen bottles, the price being based on a total of 30p bottles daily. The cost, it was stated, would be 3s 7d per gallon.

A Few Points. Members were puzzled as to the working of the scheme. During the discussion, it was stated that a special building would have to be provided for 'bottling; that the Government would not provide the bottles; that the milk must be pasteurised; that there was some probability of centralisation of the bottling business. New Plymouth being suggested as the base of distribution for Taranaki; a.so that £200,000 was to be spent on the scheme in the Dominion. “Why not distribute from Stratford —it is the centre of Taranaki?” asked Mr R. Watson. It was the opinion of Mr H. W. Boyce that the scheme should be under Governmint supervision and not shoved on to the school committee. No milkmen would put up a special building and supply milk at the price quoted, he said. It was suggested in jocular vein by Mr Furrie that they should take those children who wanted the milk out to the cows, which would be a cheaper propositioh and save a lot ot trouble! The chairman (Mr J. Morrison) remarked that the country schools were not taking up the scheme. Mrs J. Petrie expressed surprise hat any of the children should not be glad to get a pint of milk a day. On the motion of Mr A. Ferguson and Mrs P. Thomson, it was resolved that the information received by the committee tn response to the adverlisement be sent to the Health Department.