The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 53, 16 March 1887, Page 2

The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

For tin ram* that lacks muUnw, For the wronp that need* resistance, For th* future in th. distance, Anil tho gcod that we can dn.

WEDNESDAY. MARCH IC. ISS7.

Mr. Poxd, as Inspector under tho Adulteration Prevention Act, ISBOI and Amendment Act, 18S3, has to-day forwarded to the City Council the following report upon certain samples of milk placed in his hands for analysis : —

On the 7th instant I received from you 2S samples of milk, in sealed bottles, and taken under the provisions of tho above Acts. The samples, which were numbered consecutively,were in a perfectly sweet condition when received.

I have examined these sample_,»nd found them all above (he standard required by the Act.

Of these samples 9 were very rich, 13 were ?ood quality, 3 were fair quality, and 3 just above the standard required. Enclosed I forward tho numbers of tho last six, and shall be clad to occasionally receive samples from these vendors to examine as to their general average.

A second report to Mr Goldie states: — Sir, —On the 2nd instant I received from you one sample of milk in sealed bottle without mark. This sample is below the standard required by the Act, which requires 25 per cent, of butter fat. In this case, however, it is so slightly below—only to the extent of _'B—that I think it would be unwise to take action other than a warning being given or further samples taken for examination. In the latter case I shall like tho milk taken under the provisions of the Act, and a larger sample obtained.

This result is satisfactory beyond all expectations. It means that after taking samples of milk unexpectedly from 28 milkmen as they came into the city every one was found to be above tho standard, and nine were of exceptional richness. The standard adopted under the Act is that adopted by the Society of Analysts, and is based upon tests applied to some thousands of samples of pure milk drawn from cows in the presence of analysts. As every grazier is aware, there is great variation in the quality of milk yielded by different cows. By such an average, however, a fair standard, of milk in dairies using the milk from a number of cows has been arrived at. Although the test does not prove absolutely that milk of exceptional richness may not have been brought down to a lower standard by the introduction of water, it affords absolutely conclusive evidence that the consumers of milk within the city have no cause to suspect any common or extensive resort to the cow with the iron tail. It supports the opinion of Mr Pond, before published in our columns, that the milk supplied to the city is of exceptionally good average quality with respect to richness. The test, however, by no means obviates the need of a system of dairy inspection. Milk is absorbent of foul gasses and disease germs, and these would not yield up their products to the analyst. Perfect cleanliness, and the use of pure water iv washing all dairy utensils, is indispensable to a wholesome milk supply. And when dairy and byre are brought in close association the resultant product, although it may come up to the Government standard of richness, cannot be accepted as satisfactory. But as we have before pointed out the only way to deal with this matter satisfactorily is by the enactment of a Dairies Act similar to that which was passed in New South AVales last year, and i ia now being vigorously enforced in Sydney. Mr Goldie, who has been appointed Milk Inspector for Auckland, has reported to the Council upon the present unsatisfactory status of his office. He says :—

In regard to my inspection of dairies, I am under the impression that I haTd no jurisdiction outside the city until a bye-law is made—power being given to make such a by-law (see Municipal Corporations Act, 1886, sec. 422, page 89), viz., in respect "of public health and commerce, see sub sec. (c) —to inspect within or without the borough dairies and dairy utensils, cows and cowhouses, used or kept for the supply of milk within the borough.

This bye-law has never been framed, and heucs tbe Inspector at present only gains access to tbe dairies upon sufferance, a position which a public officer has no right to be placed in. The Council ought, as we urged in our Monday's issue, to frame a bye-law -under the powers conferred by : this

clause without delay. Tho Act has been in force since tho beginning of the year, and there is no reason that we are aware of, unless official dilatoriness, why the City Officer should not ere this have received the support which the clause gives him. But even this clause confers no power to punish tho keeper of a dirty dair}'. There is a general authority to prohibit sale of any article of food within the city " until inspected," but no bye-law framed under this clause could cope with milk which stands the test of analysis as the milks sold in Auckland are proved to do. A prohibition could only be enforced against unwholesome articles of food. The matter is one of too much public importance to be met by trying a game of bluil'. The session of Parliament is approaching, and the Auckland Council, in con

junction with other Corporations throughout the colony, ought to co-operate in getting a proper Dairy Act passed, which would enable tho authorities to enforce cleanliuess in dairies as well as maintain, the proper standard of milk. Such an Act would

receive the support of legitimate dairymen. Already Mr Pond is pestered with requests to visit particular dairies, the owners of which are anxious to obtain an advertisement for seriipu-

ious cleanliness. Some, no doubt, who

have an inherent objection to cold water, may view the matter in a less favourable light, but they may safely be treated with very scant consideration. To be of any public utility at all, however, the duties of Inspector must bo placed

upon other shoulders than those of Mr Oolflic, who has already considerably more than he can do with satisfaction to himself in looking after sanitary matters within the city. The systematic inspection of all dairies supplying Auckland is a big undertaking for one man, and partial inspection is equally unfair to the citizens and the trade.