CHRISTCHURCH MILK SUPPLY

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27684, 14 June 1955, Page 12

CHRISTCHURCH MILK SUPPLY

DEFICIENCY IN SOLIDS BOARD CALLS MEETING WITH PRODUCERS The deficiency of solids-not-fat prevalent in Christchurch’s milk supply will be discussed by the Christchurch Metropolitan Milk Board and producers’ representatives at a meeting to be called by the board. The meeting was suggested to the board yesterday by Mr J. Mathison, M.P., who said Christchurch was considerably below the North Island in the content of solids-not-fat. Mr- E. R. Stead: The further so|th you go the worse it gets.

“No, that is not true,” said the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. D. P. Kennedy). “Christchurch is the worst city in New Zealand for solids-not-fats.” i

“Town milk suppliers are having a very bad time, especially this year, because we had an extremely dry summer and now they .cannot get pollard and bran to supplement the winter feed supply,” said Miss M. B. Howard, M.P. “Apparently it is being reserved for poultry farmers. I have taken it up with the Minister and so have the producers, but we can't get anywhere. Next month some of the town-suppliers will have a lot of milk rejected because they have not got the feed available.” Mr Mathison said the board had always advocated payment on a quality basis. Mr Stead: It is not so much feed that is the trouble as the management of the dairy herd. “Christchurch milk is a very poor quality milk; I don’t drink it myself.” Mr Mathison said. “The only way to get an improvement is io pay on a quality basis.” Miss Howard: The trouble is the type of cows which give quantity but not quality. Herds have been built up with a lot of Friesians. Four years ago there had been a meeting of producers, the public, the health authorities and the Milk Board and an investigation made, said Mr W. J. Cowles. “All that has been said today was said then. You will probably find the reports with some red tape tucked in the back of a desk. Get payment for quality and you will get good milk.” Health Department’s Concern The Health Department was vitally concerned because solids other than fat represented the nutritional value oN milk, said Dr. Kennedy, but the responsibility was not the Health Department’s, for it was not responsible for animals. It was surprising, he added, that some producers could supply milk that never fell below the legal minimum throughout the year. The board then adopted Mr Mathison’s suggestion for a meeting with the producers. Samples from bottled supplies to Christchurch consumers during May were reported on by the milk sampling officer. His report said that of 306 samples analysed, 71 werq under the minimum standard for solids. All were above the minimums set for fats and reductase. Sixty-one samples of cream were taken, and all were above the minimum standards for fat content and reductase.