MILK DISTRIBUTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18641, 23 February 1924, Page 10

MILK DISTRIBUTION.

NEW SOUTH WALES METHODS.

NEW STERILISING PROCESS.

An improved method of sterilising milk, which is about to be introduced into Australia, was referred to yesterday by Mr. C. E. D. Meares, general manager of the Coastal Farmers' Co-operative Society of Tvew South Wales. Mr. Meares has just returned from a tour of the Waikato dairy factories, and will leave on Monday for Wellington, where he will inquire into the municipal distribution of milk. Mr. Meares said that in Sydney, the co-operative movement had revohitioned the distribufion of country milk.. The Dairy Farmers' Co-operative Company, which he had helped to establish m 1900, distributed daily 161,000 gallons. The supply was drawn from a 100 to 120mile radius north and south of Sydney, and in coastal districts where dairying predominated. In the sources of supply, the milk was received by various cooperative butter factories, pasteurised,, cooled to a low temperature, and carried to Sydney by rail in largo bulk tanks of 600 to 800 gallons each. The system of transport had been most successful, and was now being adopted by proprietary concerns associated with the milk trade.

Under the new process of sterilisation, Successful tests of which have just been carried out, the milk is heated to 258 degrees, and cooled immediately to .VI. "Nothing is added or taken from it. During the process the milk is not allowed to come into contact with the air, and from the machine it flows into special sealed cans. With pasteurisation, the milk or cream comes into contact with the air and an evaporation loss of one to two per cent, takes place. With' the Neilson process, this loss is avoided. For 12 months the system has been in operation by co-operative concerns in South Africa, which sun ply ocean liners going to England. Each ship takes sufficient for the round voyage of six weeks. In New South Wales, it is proposed to use this much improved product for shipping requirements and to supply many inland towns during (he hot months when milkproduction is almost impossible. Milk in Sydney is at present delivered "iwice ' 4 aily. Under the new system, it is TToncd that one delivery will ho sufficient, owing to the milk's enhanced keeping Dualities. In South it i 3 'claimed that the process is displacing pasteurisation.

Mr. Men res will meet the "Dairy Export Control Board in Wellington next week. He is interested in the effort, to (substitute the more economic m®*hod of direct consignment to Britain. The present system, hp savs, has been discarded bv the New South Wales producers as being altogether too costly, and a gambling business which paid onlv the man who bad most mnrVotin" knowled<™». the T/ondon 'buyer. Mr. Meares considers that the losses to New Zealand producers in this regard durinsr the last three years, as well as the payments of commission to a number of representatives of Tool'"' Street hoi"" , -would be . more than sufficient to build and eauip two or three butter or cheese factories.