NEWFIELD DAIRY BECOMES MET SERVICE ANNEX AFTER FROST DEBATE TURNS PERSONAL

A morning at a Newfield dairy went sideways on Tuesday after two customers disagreed on whether the overnight frost had been a minus three or a minus four.

The disagreement started at the chiller and ended up at the counter, where the owner was trying to scan a bottle of Just Juice for someone else entirely. That someone else, a woman in a Hi-Vis vest, was allowed to leave after eighteen minutes, juice unpurchased.

Mrs Lorraine Boyce, 71, of Grace Street, said the frost was a minus four because her birdbath was "solid through". Mr Ken Tarleton, 68, of Mahuri Street, said his ute thermometer had read minus three at 6.42am and his ute thermometer had "never told a lie in fourteen years".

This reporter attended after a tip-off from a mate at the station, who described the situation over the radio as "two olds going hammer and tongs over a frost, send someone with patience".

The dairy owner, who declined to give his name on the grounds that he "just wants to sell the bloody milk", confirmed the argument had been ongoing on and off since June. He noted that Mrs Boyce and Mr Tarleton are neighbours, with thermometers mounted about twelve metres apart.

Neither party had bought anything by the time this reporter left. The Pineapple Lumps were still on the counter.