CITY MILK SUPPLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20958, 22 August 1931, Page 14

CITY MILK SUPPLY.

Sir, —The report in Monday's- Herat, n on the city milk from the Agricultural Department's point of view is very nico reading. But I am still of the same opinion as expressed at the Milk Producers' Association meeting, that the Auckland City milk is a long way from being up to the standard it should bo to compare with other cities.. To prove that I am correct in my statements I would suggest that a thorough inspection of the city milk supply, from its.-produc-tion on the farm to its delivery to the public, be carried out by an independent board at once on the winter conditions. The regulations governing city milk are obsolete and require to be brought.up to date. Three years back a meeting was held, consisting of producers, retailers and the Agricultural Department. Improved conditions were recommended and were sent to Wellington. The reply from -there was that the matter would \be considered, and that was all we heard of it. I am not casting any reflection on the inspector or his department, and wish to correct an error that appeared under my name, that he was only two days in the field. The department's statement that a very close supervision of cows, sheds and appliances in a district stretching from Pukekohe to the south of Helensville, con' taining about 10,000 cows and over 600 dairies, by one inspector, is more than open to comment. Over 40 years ago there was one inspector, and it is the'same to-day. It is impossible for one man to inspect more than two dairies a day. Mv statement that many of the cowsheds are a disgrace is borne out by the department's statement over sediment, which, I would point out, is largely due to the dirty state of the cowvards. The Health Department also has only one inspector to control all the supplies of milk from the farm sheds, in transit, in city storage, delivery to houses, butter-fat contents, in addition to many other duties In connection with the. department's other work. No further comment is required as to the efficiency of the inspection. There-should bp some authority or regulation providing that not only the farms, herds and sheds be .approved, but that.every vendor should be licensed, and not merely the premises as at present. The condition <f " the premises, vehicles for delivery and the condition of the vendors' health should be considered in the granting of a licence. In the event of unclean or watered milk the licence should be cancelled. There is no encouragement for any firm to go to heavy expense on an up-to-date bottling plant. Abuses of bottling on the doorstep in unsterilised bottles are common. It should be compulsory for all bottles containing city milk to be branded with the _ owner s name. One thing is sure, there is no inducement for the farmer to produce a better and cleaner milk or for the ven ing companies to provide capital for up-to-date delivery -plant, so * on £; as J® present position continues. , the ci y supply is most unsatisfactory. int \, co !?" trol is partly, under the .health a^ h " r '; ties, partly under the Agricultural partment, also the City Council. $ the present wasteful system both the c sumers and producers are getting ji gerous snd bad c B cxx. .