MILK SURVEY OF THE CITY OF ROCHESTER 23 



If private capital could be obtained from sufficiently public spirited individuals 

 to be and remain indifferent as to profits above a nominal rate, such a plan could 

 be worked out." 



1919, Winnipeg, Can. (Report made to the Mayor and Common 

 Council of the City of Winnipeg, dated April 8, 1919, by L. D. Hughes.) 



Methods of enquiry: These were limited to an inspection of the 

 dealers' business and accounts. 



The subjects of enquiry included: Statistics of the supply; dealers' 

 investment in plant and buildings; cost of handling; cost of delivery; 

 average daily sales; loss on surplus; sanitation of dairy farms and milk 

 dealers' plants. 



The report recommends that a commission of three members be ap- 

 pointed to act as a city milk commission, one member to be elected by the 

 producers, one to be elected by the Winnipeg Trades and Labor Council, 

 and one elected by the Greater Winnipeg Board of Trade. In addition, 

 one member of the City Council, and one member of the City Health 

 Department should be appointed ex-officio members, and attend all meet- 

 ings of the commission. The duties of the commission would be to ap- 

 point a manager for the municipal milk plant, and to set the price of milk 

 paid to the producer and the price paid by the consumers from time to 

 time. 



The summary and conclusions of the report include the following: 



"In my opinion the only way in which the City of Winnipeg can enter into 

 the retail milk business in a manner satisfactory to the city, the producers, and 

 consumers of milk, is to obtain a monopoly of the business within the limits of 

 the City of Winnipeg. 



"I would therefore recommend that the City of Winnipeg purchase the milk 

 businesses of the existing companies. 



"The following out of this plan would enable the city to erect the most modern 

 type of building on the continent. The annual saving effected by following the 

 above plan would be $230,348.00." 



The report then discusses the suitability of existing plants, and pre- 

 sents figures showing the capital invested by two of the largest companies, 

 and a tabulation showing present costs of distribution, and annual savings 

 to be effected by the monopoly, and also the estimated cost of building and 

 equipping a new municipal milk plant. It concludes as follows : 



" * * * the milk consumers will be able to obtain pure milk at the lowest 

 possible price. 



Infant mortality would be reduced. Tuberculosis, typhoid, infant diarrhoea, 

 and other communicable diseases * * * would be reduced to a minimum. 



The impetus given the dairy business as a result of the producers having a 

 voic& in the setting of prices * * * would build up a prosperous dairy com- 

 munity surrounding the city. 



