SAFEGUARDING THE PUBLIC

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 71, 25 March 1914, Page 6

SAFEGUARDING THE PUBLIC

One of the claims of the late Liberal Administration was that it was the first Government in the world to pass anything like ft, radical Public Health Act. Parts of the statute are certainly worded strongly, but time proved that the strength was more nominal than real. On paper the Health Department had large powers to^act promptly for public safety, but in practice the officers were subject to suncjry restraints; the sword was apt to stick in the scabbard. Many a time The Post Offered evidence that the Act was anomalous, and that scope was left for political or parochial obstruction of officers in the execution of their duty. Similarly the Pure Foods Act of the Ward Government was m.cant to spread awe among fakers and adulteraters, but they were not notably perturbed and did not remarkably change their habits. The report of the Cost of Living Commission in 1912 gave some startling examples of the unscrupulous exploitation of tha, public. Prosecutions were comparatively rare for adulteration of food or for short weight at the full price, and -the criminal trickery *was so profitable that the practitioners cheerfully took the risk of aft occasional prosecution. Much, cant has been uttered about the phrase " social injustice, 1 ' but in the case of the food supply (including that very important j article, milk) the words can be fairly Used, This is the point where real, sane humanitarianism should assert itself, but many politicians, aglow with schemes to give everybody a nice pension for old age, have deliberately ignored certain food-faking which may much shorten life and may make the suggestion of an oldage pension seem like a bitter jest to the sufferers. Politicians have played many Gilbertian 1 parts*-and that is one of them. They have a fervour for superficial humanitarianism at the charge of the general taxpayers, because that way the vote lies, but they are chary of exciting the animosity of persons whose practices are an injury to the general public. , However, it has to be said to the credit of the Massey Government that it is more in earnest than its predecessor with the administration of the Pure Foods Act, for which new regulations were issued recently. The Minister (the Hon. R. H. Rhodes) has declared tersely and frankly that the "faker" is to be either mended or ended. The Premier has promised that the Government will help to improve the milk supplied to the towns, but the people have not yet seen/ any thrilling signs of activity. Meanwhile Wellington citizens are expecting the City Council to do something which former councils left undone, after the public had been led to hope that the nuidd lenient of long, decades was to cease. The citizens' patience with the timid tinkering has been amazing ; probably many have lost all faith in the professions of councillors who allege that they sincerely wish to work for an improvement. The Mi\k J Vendors' Association is again opposing the scheme of a clearing house, but as the Association is not disinterested the opposition 'is not likely to arouse much public sympathy. It is true, no doubt, that the majority of milk suppliers are anxious to provide only pare milk, but it is also true that much watered or adulterated milk is put upon the public, I and the Magisteiiai lines., when a few offenders are brought to Conn, do not check the lucrative practice. The Post has already contended that Magistrates should be empowered to sentence culprits to imprisonment with hard labour, without the option of a fine, in cases where the health of consumers has been imperilled by tho milk " faker's " mercennry hands. Society's instinct of selfpreservation should awakon against that dangerous "liberty of the subject" enjoyed, almost with impunity, by milksclleis. Men may differ as to methods ,of reform, but there is no disagreement among consumers as to the urgent need of an improved milk supply.

Otahuhu Boiough ratepayers on Saturday labt carried", by a majority of 92, a pioposal to udypt lating on uiiinipioved v|iy,ei t