Milk and the Consumer
The report of the Milk Reorganisation Commission, appointed in February, 1935, to examine the working of the Milk Marketing Boards and advise on future policy, shows a welcome concern for the interests of the consumer and an appreciation of the importance of milk in national nutrition. It is therefore disappointing to find that the changes the Commission recommends are not expected to reduce the retail price of milk by much more than Id. a gallon. The Commission proposes to relieve the consumer of some of the costs which he now bears, but only by increasing the Government's subsidy to the producer ; this subsidy in its turn will be paid by the taxpayer, and what is gained on balance is small. The Commission recommends that the Mar- keting Boards, which represent producers, be relieved of the function of fixing prices, which shall be discharged by a permanent Milk Commission appointed by the Government ; Sir John Orr, in his addendum, goes even further and asks for a Milk Corporation directly responsible to Parliament. The cost of liquid milk to the consumer should no longer be made to cover the loss incurred in the sale of " surplus " milk for manufacturing purposes ; the Commission recommends a subsidy to cover this loss and also that the Government should subsidise cheap milk schemes for poor consumers.
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