Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-11-01
A. L. Castle .of Food Board De-
cIareS Is Cents aQuart En-
tireIy Unreasonable

u
If the present cost of milk delivery
was reduced, the price now paid for
the product by the consumer could be
materially lessened. This is the con-
clusion reached by the territorial food
commission following an investigation
yesterday afternoon of the rise in the
price Of milk which went into effect
today. For nearly three hours yester-
day the Honolulu Dairymen's Associa-
ton was on the grill, and its side OF
the controversy was heard, as we'll as
the side CT the producer.
At the close of the meeting, A. j..
Castle, executive officer of the food
board, declared that the increase to
Is cents quart for milk is unreason-
able, and that he intends to use every
means within the power of the COM
mission to prevent it.
at is possible" he said, that ID
cent rate may be called for by the
increased price demanded by the pro-
dueers. but even that has not been
proved, and the commission does not
go on record as approving even a
one-cent raise until it knows all there
is to know about milk conditions at
the present time
According to S. w Smith, whose
statement to the commission was pub
lished in the Star-Bulletin yesterday,
it is now costing the dairymen's asso.
citation cents to deliver quart OF
milk, this including pasteurization and
the cost of maintaining the associa-
ton.
Producers Ask Cents ~
Producers present declared that they
wanted 8 cents quart for their milk.
Both Mr.. Smith and d. P. f.. Isenberg,
the heaviest stakeholder in the asso-
citation, declared it would be impossi-
BILE to pay the producers 8 cents a
quart and maintain the rate to the
consumer which prevailed before the
low rates went into effect today.
In the opinion of the commission the
cost of between and 6 cents for de-
livery is professionally high, and, if
the producer demands cents quart,
the delivery cost should be lessened to
meet this added expense instead of
forcing the consumers to foot the bill.
Chairman Castle, in calling the
meeting to order, declared the COM
mission preferred not to take drastic
action unless necessary, but he point
ed out that the commission would
subpoena witnesses if necessary, as it
has this power under the law.
Mr.. Isenberg, representing the dairy
association, was the first speaker. He
said, in part:
Personally, / am opposed to raise
in the price of milk to the public. But
the producer has to be protected If
the public thinks the producer has
been making money, then it is mis-
taken. A great many of them have to
produce their feed. I'm perhaps the
only one here who raises all the feed
needed at a dairy 1t is true that /
gather getween $1,000 and 10000
sacks of algaroba beans each year,
and they are good feed for the cows.
As far as feed is concerned, it is ex-
pensive to raise it. But I'm not I'M
der the terrible expense the small
producer is in feeding his stock. i
Loses Cows in Test
'In the last tuberculin test last week
/ lost 107 cows. / have only tested
once in 13 months. / used to test
every month, but by the yearly test
/ am able to raise nearly all the calves
and so bring up my herd to its usual
standard in numbers.
while am in control in the dairy,
mems association, have refused to
take part in any of the activities Of
the directors as regards raising the
price of milk. I'm not going to use
my control. If the producer feels that
he must get cents for his milk, then
the directors can do nothing but raise
the price. / hope that no attack will
be made on the association as the
directors have been very fair. Of
course, / could step in and assume
control and put my foot down on Ger
tain things, but I'm not going to do it"
! In response to question, Mr.. Isen.
berg said he believed cents was a
fair price to pay the producer for his
milk. But he added that the assocfa.
ton could not pay 9 cents and still
maintain the present price to the con.
sumer.
Following Mr.. Smiths statement,
Chairman Castle expressed the opin-
ion that the herds in Hawaii are not
being reduced Mr. Smith declared
that the tuberculin tests are reducing
the supply of milk. One day this week,
he added, he refused the Alexander
Young hotel so quarts of extra milk
and Oahu College "a quarts. He said
that ice cream was made with milk
only If there was surplus, and that
at times milk powder was substituted.
The price now paid the producer is
5 cents, .and milk is sold at wholesale
for II cents, he continued.
nNo Secrets" He Says
There are no secrets at the dairy
association" he said.
The dairy association has two de.
liveries daily. the morning delivery