MILK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26693, 12 February 1948, Page 2

MILK

Sir, —A recent letter to the Daily Times signed “Anti-Humbug ” deploring the bad old days when milkmen were allowed to do as they pleased, seems rather absurd, especially when he praises the present-day bottled milk. Those were the days when, the clean, conscientious milkman (encouraged by private enterprise) kept his customers by the quality of his wares, or else was paid off by the housewife, who could buy what and where she pleased. Alas, those happy days are just a memory. To-day I still use raw milk in my household, but 10 days ago I decided to use a little bottled treated milk, which had been delivered to my husband's place of business for his employees’ cup of tea. As this milk was brought home on the evening of its delivery, imagine my disgust when, pouring it into the cup of tea, I poured out a large maggot with the milk. X rang the Health Department, which promptly sent a man out to collect maggots and milk. An official has also called on my husband to inquire who delivers the milk. Now I am waiting a reply to my complaint. The stale food racket in New Zealand to-day is a menace to the health of young and old. I suggest we have a meeting to discuss stale foodstuffs and bad milk, instead of building more hospitals for sick people. “It is better to build a fence at the top of the cliff than maintain an ambulance at the bottom ” —surely our Plunket Society’s motto fits very well in this case.—l am, etc., Housewife. [When this letter was referred to the district medical officer of health, Dr G. O. L. Dempster, he had no comment to make. —Ed. O.D.T.]