DAIRY INSPECTION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13136, 8 June 1908, Page 6

DAIRY INSPECTION.

Tlie members of the South Island bjanch of the National Dairy Assooiatioa of New Zealand at fheir annual meeting in Dmuodin last week devoted; considerable attention to the dairy regulations and dfliry inspeotore. Tbo members of the Association were addreesed by Mr E. Clifton, Chief Inspoctor of Stock, who went to Dunedin specially to explain tho general oanditions under which the inspection of milk will he conducted. He made it clear that the regulations were intended to compel slovenly dairy farmers to bring tlwiir methods up to tho level of those of tho majority. About 90 per cent, of the dairy farmers, ho said, progressed, and were working well under advantageous oonddtione, but the remaining 10 per cent, failed "owing "to wilful neglect of proper preoau"tionis," and by ko doing thoy wrought iff jury to the others, and to the general public. Hβ fixpected the work of tho inspectors would benefit the majority by the improvement upon which they would insist in the methods of the minority, who now wilfully injured tho quality of tho general eupply. There has been some just cause of oom.plaint among dairy farmers that the sanitary conditions which satisfied one inspector were not accepted as sufficient by his successor, and tho difference of opinion has at times led to some oonfueion and. has involved the dairy farmers in tho district in unnecessary expense. This grievance should not ariso in future, for Mr Clifton explained that '"classeß •' of instruction ivoro now being held, " at which aJI the inspectors ivern '■' trained together from the some point "of viow, thus eliminating all danger "of divergencies of professional " opinion. The superior officers were " aJeo trained together, &o that an inlY spootor nrwly arriving from another "district would conduct his methods " ore precisely the samn Hik» as thoee " of the inepector ho roplaced." Tho general idea of the schomo is admittedly a good one—even tho dairy farae-rs and dairymen are agreed upon that— but it is in regard to sotne of tho practical d«*tails +h*t tihere i« a stronc; difference of opinion. Another point t.hat lias be*™ rais«l locally and was aJ&o mentioned at Dunodin is that many nw>n milking cows axo tenanta, and fiomo of thoni only Btiiigg-ling to nva-ke a living. A question was asikwl whether mi eucu aw instance the parunent would grant financial assiet-

ance to carry out improvements demanded, and Mr Clifton said he would put the matter boforo the proper authorities. This is, however, no now point, and it vrae understood last year thai the Minister for Agriculture had promised that provision, would bomado to compel tho landlord io bear c, share of the cost. When Uie retjturemente of the Department are better understood, and they are recognised as being on practical lines, there will not be much difficulty in enforcing the regulations, providing the inspectors understand their business, and aim at advising ra.ther than, coercing.