THE DAILY MILK SUPPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 213, 7 September 1909, Page 7

THE DAILY MILK SUPPLY.

KEEPING IT PURE.

-JPEXDOBS' PROTEST TO MINISTER

Messrs. A. J- Hurndall. U. Tansley, I \V. P. Jenkins, as representatives oi I Sβ Auckland ililk Vendors' Association, j waited upon tne Miiuster lor Public Health (the Hun. D. Buddo) at, the Star jjjrtei yeßterd.iv afternoon, to urge ceriaia concession in the presen:. regula- | lions governiug the supply oi milk, for taxnan eonsumptiun. lie present standard for all milk in- I leaded fjr human consumption is a 3.25 j test "° tDls tn * , >J e P utaUon fsn*ea no | cbjeetion but it urged that th<; vendor Should be given sunir cueck over the supplier, so that the consumer might bene- j gt_ It was pointed out that a- present j the vendor received the milk, and had to ' tear the brunt of a prosecution if it did j not come up to the standard test, whereas the supplier was primarily responsible. To get over this. Mr. Hurndal., on be- ! julf of the deputation, proposed that the j Health Department should assist the vendors in securing the cheap and fre- j quent services of tome reliable analyst, | to whom samples of su-pected milk could | Iβ submitted, with a view to prosecuting j the supplier if h;? milk was n>t up to | the standard. It was further stated that i $ c vendors were badly treated, in that I three months often e-lapsed between the j jjjne a cample of their milk was taken ' gad proceedings were instituted, so that ■ gfl hope of sheetinj: the offem-e home to j jhe supplier was out of the question, and j the unfortunate vendor had to pay the j -{per. I'nder the present the j vendors were entirely at the mercy of j the euppliers. who could adulterate and ureter "I'lfc before they sent it :n. knowjug that if proceeding? were \-aken by the Public Health authorities, it would lie agavnst the vendors, and nor the suppliers. Some vendors had actually had jimples of milk showing traces of boracic | gad. If they had an analyst who would | analyse 6uspected samples che-iply, the j public would get better milk, and the j consumer -would be more carefirl. They i Jmew of cases where farmer? »pre send- i jug milk giving a 5 per cpiit test to . ihe creameries, -and only supplying to the jendors a 3 per cent milk. The Hon. Mr. Buddo replied that where the Health Officers found that the (tandard was being evaded, a prosecution j Jiad to follow. He quite realised that it ; would be a protection to the vendors, as i iffefl a3 the public if this system of in- j Epection could be carried on. but there j urere difficulties in the way. Tiie Health i iDepartment would be willing to occasion- i iDy make a free analysis, but -ould not ! be expected to keep it up. In F.ng'and it i upas the custom to prosecute on the strength of the Babcock test.-, but he did not tmnk thpy were sufficiently satisfactory to go upon, since a rapid rise or fall in temperature might put them in an unenviable position. The Health Department's officers would be prepared to settle dispute*, but not zr take up the work regularly. If they wanted a Government subsidy towards the appointment of an analyst, then he could make no definite statement before subletting the matter to his colleagues. Mr. Hurndall: We want a man who vdll make an analysis several times per year. At the time tup Health Officer meets a vendor in the s:reet, and takes a sample of the milk he is delivering, and if it is nov up to the standard, he is proaeouted. We want the system altered, so that we will have some check over the supplier, and will be able to make him conform vrith the regulations by consigning milk of the required standard. Mr. Buddo: The Health Drpartment would make that analysis several times month. That might help you a little. Ihe Department has only the public interests at heart. It has no desire to entrap any man. but to work the regulations on a common-sense bisis. and place a pure milk supply at tho disposal of the consumer. The depuration then thanked jit" Minister and withdrew.