The price of milk in Luton was increased to 7d per quart at the beginning of last week, reported the Luton News on October 11th, 1917. The matter was mentioned on the second day after the increase by the Mayor (Alderman John Staddon). At the meeting of the Town Council he said that the Food Committee were of the opinion that the Milk Order should not apply in this area, that the increase from 6d to 7d a quart was excessive, and that the dairymen had been invited to meet the Food Committee, when they would have to justify the increase.

The conference took place on Friday night, the considerable number of dairymen present including the principal men in the trade in Luton. After a close investigation of the facts, the dairymen agreed to the Committee's suggestion that they should voluntarily revert to 6d per quart during October. By accepting this suggestion the trade obviated the necessity of a formal order of reduction being made by the committee.

A representative of The Luton News asked for a pint of milk at a retail shop on Monday and was charged at 6d per quart, but was informed that the price would be 8d per quart at the end of the month.

This 8d per quart is the maximum price laid down by the Milk Prices Order from November to March, and, while it is obvious that the cost of feeding cattle is considerably increased during the winter months, the justification for such an increase, if the public chooses, may have to be proved to the satisfaction of the Food Committee.

So far as the conference on Friday night is concerned, we understand that the Committee arrived at no decision on the matter. They were concerned only with the facts at the moment, and arrived at the decision above recorded.