AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10593, 28 February 1895, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS.

The Government is doing well in obtainng a report on the graded butter shipped to London by the Gothic, and we hope a similar .report will bo obtained on, each of the succeeding shipments. Until these reports, are to Land, the full success or otherwise of the grading system cannot he determined, but so far as this end is concerned, the butter industry has already benefited greatly by any defects in the product being pointed out by tho graders, and corrected in future by the makers. There has thus beena considerable improvement in the quality of the buttter as the season progressed. Tho exporters from Wellington have been the most difficult to deal with. The grader there baa had not only by far the largest quantity, but also the least satisfactory quality of butter to deal with, and we have competent authority for stating that no undue strictness was shown in branding much of the Taranaki product “second quality.” Better methods of making are required in many cases, and the season’s experience has proved what experts have unanimously urged—the necessity for a refrigerator at every butter factory, into which the butter can be placed as soon as made. The knowledge that all butter must pass the grader has prevented any farm butter being sent forward as of factory make, as has been done in former years. General confidence is felt in the graders, and it only needs to be seen that their operations have improved the position of New Zealand butter on the Home markets to establish the complete success of the system. Under The Public Health Act, 1876, Amendment c Act,, 1881, the Governor in Council is empowered ; to make regulations for the registration and inspection of dairies, to' be in force either in one or more districts or throughout the whole colony. This power has been brought into operation: in the,. Eutt County, which includes the city of Wellington and the adjacent boroughs. The regulations require thq registration with the Local Board of Health, of ail ,dairymen and milkvendors. Persons who make andsell butter and cheese, but do not sell milk, and persona who; merely sell email quantities of milk to their workmen or neighbours are not to be considered dairymen or milk vendors. Every dairyman will be required to keep a register of all cattle brought or kept on hia premises, with such particulars as shall identify each beast, and of cattle bought or sold by him. The inspectors are to inspect all parts of the premises and each head of cattle from time to time, and shall stop the sale of milk from any unhealthy cows, and, if necessary, declare that the milk from any dairy is likely to endanger public health. The dairyman may appeal to a qualified veterinary surgeon, to he named by the inspector, and his decision ,as to the state of the cattle shall ba final.

Every building not now in use as a dairy or cowshed must be constructed subject to the approval of the inspector, and existing cowsheds and dairies must be brought into accordance with the regulations, which require 500 cubic feet of aic space for each oeast in each cowshed or milking-shed, that the flooring be of cement or brick, that the premises be properly lighted, ventilated, drained, cleaned and whitewashed. All such premises are to be supplied, by pipes or otherwise, with clear and pure water for the cattle and for cleansing purposes, and both food and water for the cattle may he condemned by the inspector. After every milking the cowsheds are to be thoroughly, cleansed; dairies are to be swept, dusted and cleaned daily; the udders and teats of each cow must be thoroughly cleansed with water and carefully dried before milking; all vessels must within four hours of use be rinsed with cold water and scoured and scalded with hot,’, and ifacilities are to be provided for boiling tho necessary water. All milk intended, for, human food is .to be carefully strained before; being sold. _ No person suffering., from a dangerous infectious disorder, or Having been in contact with a person so suffering, is to be allowed to milk cows, handle any vessels used for milk or, assist in the business of dairyman or milk vendor. Each dairyman or milk vendor must notify to the Board ot Health the fact of any illness on his premises or in his family, and the Board shall direct such precautions to be taken as may be necessary for the public health. No mxlkstore or milkshop is to be used es|a sleeping apartment, and nothing' shall be kept in it which ;might prove injurious to milk. No s winatafe to be kept' •within 601 t ' of any ,milk;h,op, dairy, or iuilking-shed,. and: no closet, cesupooßof manure - heap is to.be within3oft,, and, no open drain carrying- offensive matter is to be allowed near such premises. : No. milk cart is to .be.used to .carry manure, or pigs’ food, and if brewers’, grains have been .carried the cart must be thoroughly washed and exposed to the air for six hours before milk is carried in it, either for sale or about the premises. Penalties up to £SO for each offence, and up to £SO for each day during which such offence shell continue, are provided. These regulations should be sufficiently comprehensive to ensure tho purity of the Wellington milk supply. They are similar in effect to those in force in Sydney, where the milkehops are models of cleanliness and freshness, and the dairies and cowsheds from which the shops are supplied are clean and well-drained. We may assume that there was good ground in Weliirigtcnuor taking advantage of the provisions of the Act. It cannot be said that there is no necessity for such regulations in the other laiga towns in New Zealand. The dairies are, as a rule, well conducted, tout the barm to be dona by one careless dairyman or mdk-vendor is incalculable—as has unfortunately been seen more than once—and - were it only to protect the public against that one man, tho local authorities would be warranted in adopting regulations under the Act, similar to those above referred to. The working of tho regulations in Wellington will be watched with interest.