NEARBY FARMERS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12404, 25 March 1926, Page 11

NEARBY FARMERS

ENTERTAIN MINISTERS MILK SUPPLY AND PUBLIC HEALTH QUESTION OF MENDING OR ENDING Mr J. Purchase presided at the annual dinner of the Wellington Nearby Farmers held at Gamble and Creed’s last night, when those present Hon. J. G. Coates, Prime Minister; Hon. O. J. LTawketi. Minister for Agriculture; Hon. J. A Young, Minister for Health; Mr W. H. Field, M.P., and Dr. Rcakes, Director of Agriculture. Mr J. Maher, in proposing “Hie Government.” said that in times gone by they looked upon tho officers of the Aerienitural Department as parasites to the farmers, but they had learned that tho officers of that department wero their friends, and gave them all the help possible on their faims. Ho spoke very highly of his personal experience and the valuable assistance and advice he had received in tho matter of herd-testing. Ho coupled with the toast the name of the Hon. O. J. Hawken, Minister for Agriculture. Tho Minister’s reply is reported In another column. Mr E. Lower proposed “Tho Health of the Community,” coupling with it tho name of the Minister for Health, the Hon. J. A. Young. In doing so he referred to the valuable services rendered by inspectors of the Agricultural Department in eliminating tubercular cows from the daii*v lierdß, and the very fair way in which they had been met by the department. He suggested that the day was coming when- stops would be taken to prevent unfit people—mental perverts and similar oases—from reproducing their species. MINISTER’S REPLY The Minister replied, admitting that producers had their problems, to meet, principally the uncertainty of the product 6f their own labour. Possibly they had been restricted by the monopoly in the city to which reference had been made, but after all tho monopoly had not done them an injury, but had been an inspiration to them to do their job better by seeing that the milk they supplied would stand all tests and inquiries. While it was in the scope of tho’ Agricultural Department to look after the milk nntil it left the farm, when it left the farm for delivery and consumption by human beings it came within the scope of the officers of the Health Department. A responsible officer recently said to him: “I can assure you that the milk supply of Wellington is excellent, including all quarters from which it comes.” While the Health Department had hospitals, sanatoria, and other institutions for curative purposes, their first aim wae to ascertain the sources of disease which brought those institutions into being, and by prevention prevent the necessity for them. It was better to take steps to prevent an accident than to wait at the foot of a precipieq with an ambulance in ease anyone fell over. The best milk they could have was saw milk if tihey could be assured it was absolutely clean. HOUSING AND HEALTH The Government realised that if they wanted to improve the productive industry they must have men who could produce, and they must bo virile in order to keep up the food supplies. The housing problem was elosely allied to the health of the community, and while it was an economic question, it was also a social question, in that the man who had a homo in the suburbs with plenty of room to house his family would bring up his children in good health. Tho question of eliminating disease in human beings was a difficult question to handle. It was a matter that was agitating tho minds of the whole civilised world and one in vllich, following the report of the Royal Commission, he hoped that valuable legislation would follow in New Zealand. The health of the member for Otalu was also proposed, and Mr Field reviewed the history of the Wellington milk supply and legislation at . some length, expressing the hope that tho Minister for Agriculture would look into the legislation in force and either mend it or end it. If he had his way it would be ended.