Comments at Torrington NFU meeting

He welcomed the chance to express his horror that such a thing could happen in this country, said Mr L G F Horrell, chairman of the Executive Committee of Devon Agricultural Milk Committee, when it was announced at a meeting of Torrington NFU at Beaford last week that a consignment of milk tablets had arrived at Dolton School.

Liquid milk consumption by the general public was too low already. By getting yougsters into the habit of taking liquid milk they were encouraging them to continue it in adult life.

Mr J Lake said in Beaford Parish there was a man who was prepared to supply milk to schools yet the Education Committee obtained it from Bideford.

Devon County Council had to be realistic, argued Mr Horrell. To put milk in third-of-a-pint bottles, supply straws, and deliver to schools at an ordinary price was not an easy contract for anyone to agree to.

Mr E J Baker, assistant county secretary, Devon Farmers’ Union, agreed that it was not economic to expect a farmer to take a few bottles here and there and in their anxiety to cut down costs the County Council had landed themselves in their present position.

‘The next thing we shall get will be beef steak pills or cabbage pills’ added Mr Baker.

Mr E W Turner, the chairman; ‘It may be working towards the idea of getting a dinner out of your waistcoat pocket’.

The discussion was part of a question night, at which a panel, comprising Mr Horrell, Mr Baker, Mr C W Lewis and Mr A M Martin, answered a number of queries.

The full Gazette article is dated 7 April 1955