NEW MILK REGULATIONS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 147, 16 March 1908, Page 9

NEW MILK REGULATIONS

VENDORS' CRITICISM. CONFLICTING RUMS—STANDARD TOO HIGH. ■ ; (BY IBLEBRArn —mKSS ASSOCIATION.) Dlinedin, March 15. The new dairying regulations issued by the Health'■ Department, which came into force on March 1, have liad a vory disturbing influence upon all thoso connected with the dairy industry. . , Tlio' president of the Dairymen's Association (Mr! D. Roy), in ail interview, said the present regulations had entirely missed'their mark, as thoyshowed that the rules of tho two Departments wero contrary to 0110 another. Ono of'the-Health .'Department's new rules was tliat fifteen days must elapse after calving before milk was fit for consumption. The Stock Department's rule said' only four days need elapse. The Health Department was not in a position to determine when tho cow had calved,' as only tho Stock Department hud a right to inspect dairymen's premises. The Health Department's new milk standard—that milk delivered for human consumption must not. contain less than 3J per cent, of fatty solids—Mr. Roy, considered much too drastic. The universal standard was 3 per cent., and the new rule Would bo.strongly opposed. Mr. Roy . also said that the regulation'prohibiting tho standing of milk or cans on any public footpath or pavement was altogether too stringent, as it would : hinder expeditious delivery, and would doublo tho hours of employees. ', V - _ - : 'The regulation .preventing the'washing of cans or utensils except in a, properly-con-structed. building' was also, objected to as being too rigorous. At present most of the farmers.had outside wooden racks', lii conjunction with a good water supply, at a reasonable distance from the byre's, where cleansing work was carried on. The 1 prohibition of tho manipulation of milk, such as -mixing, except in a 1 properlyoonstnicted building, would', said Mr. Roy,' mean that the customers' who get the, first milk would get tho cream, while those supplied last would;, get inferior milk. To meet tho trouble, the farmers suggest that each driver carry a cloth, or other strainer, with him. The penalty, of £20 for an infringement of the regulations was also considered too severe, farmers holding that : a maximum of £5 is ample.- : Now regulations : of. this nature;'' said Mr. Roy, had a- tendency, to raise the price of milk. Millc was very scarco at present, and Micro was sure to bo an advaiico for the com■ing winter. Jf the,'riew regulations' were enforced, a substantial rise was-,to be looked for.. It 1 was not intended, however, to submit tc the now laws, . The proper authorities were to bo approached, and a revision of tho rules could bo looked for. ■

;'■ ' Auckland, March 14. ■ Referring to Dr. Purdy's letter'to the City Council on. tho subject of tho Pure Food Bill and tho standard set for solids in milk, Mr/ John Massey ,'rnado some interesting romarks at. tho annual meeting of,; the Agricultural arid Pastoral. Association. :

Ho said lie had conferred with one of tlio principal ■ milk vendors and askod if it ' was' possible to. conform with the compulsory standard of 3} per cent, of butterfat in the, milk to-be sent into town, for human corisumptiorii, Tho reply; was that it wis impos- 1 siblc to- keep up this' standard of richness in. tho. milk all the. year' round. The position was an extraordinary! one. They could not attain the. impossible arid supply milk .with a percentage of ,3.25 of butterfat when at some seasons of the year'the'cows'would not givo.that standard. , It.meant;that milk vendors : would suffer the " ignominy; of .being dragged before tho'Police,.Court,','. , Mr. J; R. Walters said it ,was absolutely impossible ,to get a 3.25' test all tho year round/ so- that tho Police Court .would got rich ion ■ ~ ■On the; motion'.,of, Messrs. Rhodes, and Johns', it was deoided to leave tli6 matter'in tho 'hands of the" executive. f ' ; ' " ■■--•■■'