AN OPPORTUNITY MISSED.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 November 1939, Page 4

AN OPPORTUNITY MISSED.

JT is not. exactly a matter for congratulation that a contract for the supply of milk to school children in the Wairarapa has been let to a. Dannevirke firm. Full, credit 01. course must, be given to the firm in question for the enterprise which has enabled it to meet the contract conditions laid down —briefly the supply of pasteurised milk in sealed halt-pint bottles but an important dairying district like the Wairarapa, surely ought Io be in a position to meet its own requirements ol this nature.

Whatever the probable duration of the contract. lor the supply of milk Io schools may he, it is clear that an opport unit has meantime been missed in this district. The organisation within the district of a hygienic milk supply Io schools, apart from its immediate importance, would have provided a liquidation on which much might have been built, notably in the development of a similar supply in al all events Ihe larger towns of the district. With this would naturally be bracketed a rationalisation of the milk delivery service. We are still at the stage in which several milk carts may be seen in the same street at. a given time. This state ol allairs, ol course, is by no means peculiar to the milk trade, but in view 01. the high proportion that, cost of delivery must bear to the price of milk if seems to be very niueh in Ihe interests equally ol vendors and of consumers that Ihe milk delivery service should he rationalised.

'l'lm mein her I'or Master! on. (M r -1. 1 toiler 1 son .) has int e rest ml liimself in Ihis question, and. al Ids instance il was discussed some lime ago at a meeting' of vendors. Al that lime however, no act ion was decided upon.

In I heir own interests, inil.k vendors may he wise Io pursue the matter further. Sooner or later the demand lor an up-to-date milk delivery service is likely Io be raised in Masterton and in other towns and the possibility that such a service might be organism! eo-operatively by the present- vendors, in conjunction with a dairy company or companies should be worth considering.

We certainly should not be content in any ease to look to an indefinite extension of am arrangement under which milk for school children in the Wairarapa is Io be brought in from another district. This dependence on an outside source is anomalous and humiliating in a district in which dair\ production is highly organised. A progressive and most commendable step has been taken in arranging lor the testing lor tuberculosis of all herds supplying Masterton with milk, but Ihis district should be prepared Io move with (he limes in all respects. The question of a possible reorganisat ion ol the milk supply Io household ca.nisiimers as well as? to schools is well worth v.oiug' into.