RIVERLEA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 December 1928, Page 6

RIVERLEA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

PERSONAL. Mr. D. A. Hughes is at present a patient at the Han era Hospital, where he has undergone an operation to remove a piece of bone from one of his arms. Mr. B. Hey has also been laid up for a time with a severe attack of influenza, but he is now well on the way to recovery. ... Andrew McLeod is also laid, up with an attack of pneumonia, and is in the hospital also. GENERAL. The supply of milk at the local factory is keeping up very well, and the output has stood consistently at about 10 cheeses per day more than last year. The record make last year was 60 cheeses on one day. This year it was hoped to reach 70, but though twice over 69 were made there was on neither occasion sufficient to make a full 70. There is now a slight but nevertheless perceptible decline in the milk, but with the white clover now coming on there may be very little reduction during the month. Contractors are at present at work at the factory erecting coal bunkers. As the factory is now using only coal these were badly needed.

ADDRESS BY MR. P. 0. VEALE. Mr. P. O. Veale, research chemist of the Hawera Laboratory, addressed a meeting of the members of the Awa-tuna-'i'e Kiri-Riverlea. branch of the Farmers’ Union last week, when there were about 2b members present. Owing to illness Mr. S. Agnew, president or the branch, was unable to be present, and on the motion of Mr. M. W. Barker, Mr. M. F. Voullaire was appointed chairman lor the evening. Tne ordinary business of the meeting was ■dispensed witn, and the entire time was devoted to Mr. Veale’s address, his subject being “Sanitary conditions affecting milk for cheesemaking. ”

Mr. Veale stressed the importance of scrupulous cleanliness, and particularly tne necessity for thoroughly washing the cows, not only their teats and udders, but their flanks as well, as more trouble was caused by dust and dry manure falling into the bucket in .that way than in any other. He also stressed the necessity for thorough cooling of the milk, which he said was as important as anything done in the shed. Germs couid not reproduce nearly so well in cooled milk as in that which remained warm. Milk should really be cooled down to under 50 degrees. Another important point was to see that the cans when they had been washed were turned up so as to lieoomo thoroughly dry. No germs could exist- on a perfectly dry atmosphere. and it was a most important point.

He had been -somewhat misreported on the occasion of one lecture, said Mr. Veale, when it was reported that he advocated leaving the lids on the cans all night. That was no- doubt what would be best, but he had not said it should be done. ‘ln fact, unless the milk was cooled down to well under 50 degrees it would be more harmful than good. Far better to let a little dust into the cans than to keep the milk at the germ-breeding warmth by leaving the lids on. At the conclusion of his address a number of questions were asked, alter which, on the motion of the chairman, Mr. Veale was accorded a vote or thanks for his interesting and instructive address, which was entirely free from scientific technicalities and understandable by farmers in general.