SYDNEY METHODS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 18

SYDNEY METHODS.

MILK MARKETING. COMPARISON WITH AUCKLAND. REPORT TO MILK COUNCIL. Reference to the operations of the Sydney Milk Board with some comparisons in favour of the methods adopted l>v t lie Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council was made at yesterday's meeting of the council when a report was submitted by the secretary, Mr. X. J>\ Chapman. His report outlined information extracted from the annual report of the Sydney body. The Sydney Milk Board, it was stated, obtained its supplies of milk from 3469 dairymen in the nortli-south-west and south producing ijfistriets, the milk being collected for the board by 20 dairy factories operating i through three companies. The total quantity of milk received by the board under its vesting provisions from dairymen during the year. < 'the report stated, was 26.077,531 "gal- i

Inns, tlie average payment to dairymen being lI.KM. The figures did not include approximately 1 I .INHI.fHIO gallons produced and retailed bv dairymenvendors. Though the number of vendors retailing milk in the Sydney metropolitan area was not shown, there were 441>2 shops licensed. Greater Powers. The Sydney Milk Board, in addition to its vesting provisions, under which it purchased all milk for town supplv. had all the powers and su|x>rvision exercisable by local authorities in respect of dairymen and milk-vendors engaged in the supply, treatment, distribution aikl sale of milk. " I he board has the power, which is missing in our Act, over dairymen." Mr. ( hapmau s report stated, "and conducts routine inspections of dairy premises in addition to factories, * treatment plants, m ilk-vendors' premises and vehicles and equipment." The Department of Health in Sydney analysed 4098 samples of milk*, the samples being taken by the board's oflicers, this corresponding with the samples taken in the Auckland district by the Department of Health, which takes over 20(M) samples a year for chemical examination. Bacteriological Tests. "The Sydney Milk Board also conducts bacteriological examinations, but not to anything like the extent of this

council." the report added. "In Sydney. T'.t.'i samples were taken for bacteriological examination during the year as compared with taken by this council for the last financia! year. In view of criticism of our methods in the Magistrates Court, not long ago the following paragraph is interesting:—'.Remedial action is taken where examinations show high ltactcrial counts or the presence of undesirable types of organisms.' " The Sydney Milk Board was ahead of Auckland in the matter of tuberculin testing. Members of the Auckland body were aware that, although it had been considered that no milk should be allowed to come into the area for town supply, except from tulK-rculin-tcsted cows, nothing had been done owing to its many difliculties. In Sydney, however. arrangements had been made under which no raw milk was allowed to be distributed except from herds certified free from tuberculosis.