MILK CONTROL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 102, 1 May 1936, Page 8

MILK CONTROL.

THE YEAR REVIEWED

SAVING BY CONSOLIDATION.

IMPORTANCE OF TESTS

Features of the Auckland Metropoli tan Milk Council's second annual report

reviewing the council s activities and presented and adopted at the meeting of the council this morning, were references to the bacteriological testing of milk and consolidation. The chairman, Mr. G. AY. Hutchison, presided.

Under the heading of consolidation, the report stated that in the original Act the council was particularly directed to block and /one tlie milk district, and was given power to reduce the number of milk vendors by reducing the number of licenses. No method was, however, provided by which vendors whose rounds were required could he compensated. The requisite powers were in the Amending Act and in January last the council had secured, on loan, the services of Mr. A. Hiake as consolidation officer. Air. Blake had since done valuable work and the total number of consolidations cll'ected to date was ]s(i, and 47 vendors and 11 dairymen vendors had participated. These 01 had reduced their mileage by a total of 180 daily, thereby cutting down their time for delivery. Protest' Meetings. If the figure indicated by a large firm, 4.Sd per mile for running a truck, was a fair estimate, a saving of £1350 per annum was indicated. Approximately 2000 householders had been affected by the consolidations and only 12 complaints had been forwarded to the council's ofTice, either by the vendor or the consumer. In -most eases an amicable settlement had been reached. Referring to the attempt to work up agitation against the council the report stated that the meetings had been small ones, and resolutions had been carried demanding the repeal of the Milk Act, aiVl the abolishing of the Milk Council.

'The council is determined to continue along the present lines irrespective of agitation of this kind, being confident that it is doing excellent work in improving the milk supply for the inhabitants of il-s district, and by the cutting out of the wasteful uneconomic method*, which have too long prevailed," stated the report. Results of Tests. The report set out that one of the chief methods in use all over the world to ensure purity of supply was what was known as the Agar Plate Count. The number of those tests being made for the Department of Health had been few, and a* the council had for some time been of opinion that far too little testing was bping carried out to ensure the qualify of Auckland milk supply, arrangements had been made from December 1 last to collect 125 samples of milk weekly and to have it chemically and bacteriologically examined by a public analyst in the city. The results had been startling and had shown the necessity for the work being done. In all 2203 tests had been made. Improvements had also been brought about by the notification of the results of tests, warnings and threatened cancellation of licenses in extreme cases.

The estimate for revenue expenditure for the financial year, ended March .'sl, 1930, was £4278, wliile actual expenditure, apart from capital expenditure, was £4350.