THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2111, 9 August 1894, Page 8

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

THE NEW BILL INTRODUCED BY THE HON. JOHN M'KENZIE. A BILL INTITULED An Act to regulate the Manufacture of Butter and Cheese, and to provide for the Purity of Milk. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows ': — 1. The short title of this act is " The Dairy Industry Act 1894." 2. In this act, if not inconsistent with the context, — (a) "Dairy "means a place where the niilk of cows is manufactured into butter or cheese, or both, or into other milk products, not being a factory or creamery as , defined: *' Creamery " means a place established for receiving the milk of cows for the purpose of separating the cream therefrom and manufacturing same into butter or otherwise : " Factory " means a place established for receiving tbe milk or cream of cows from the public for the purpose of manufacturing the same or any portion of the .same into butter or cheese, or both, or into other milk products, as the case may be : "Inspector" means any person duly appointed for the purpose of inspection under this act : "Bure milk" means the whole of the milk of cows, including stoppings, as drawn at each time of milking : "Butter fat" means the pure fat of cows' milk. (b) "Pure butter" meanß the fatty portion or cream of pure milk solidified by churning : " Milled butter" means pure butter collected from one or more dairies or factories for the purpose of being mixed or blended and packed : "Full cream cheese" moans cheese manufactured from milk, and shall contain not leas than thirty per centum of butter fat in such cheese : •'Half skim cheese '* means cheese manufactured from milk, and shall contain nob less than twenty per centum of butter fat in such cheese : 11 Pure skim cheese" means cheese made from milk, and shall contain less than twenty per centum of butter fat in euch chet se. 3. The Governor, from time to time, — (1) May appoint or remove such inspectors and other officers as he shall deem necessary for the administration of this act ; (2) May, by Order-in-Council gazetted, prescribe regulations for all purposes of such administration, or for the conduct of officers engaged therein ; and (3) May proclaim certain cool stores now in existence, or otherwise provide for the establishment of such, and prescribe regulations and charges for the management and storage of produce while in such stores.

4-. Every inspector under this act, or other duly authorised officer, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authorities conferred upon an inspector under " The Adulteration Prevention Act 1880," and any amendments or extensions thereof, and also shall have full access, egress, and ingress to all places of business, farms, cowsheds, dairies, factories, creameries, carriages, cars, vessels, cans, and steamers used for the manufacture, storage, and carriage or transit of milk, cream, cheese, or butter.

He ihall also have power and authority to open any keg, box, or package which contains butter or cheese for the purpose of inspecting whether or not any false description or brand is placed inside of the keg, box, or package, and he may take therefrom samples for analysis.

5. Any inspector under this act, or duly authorised officer, shall have the power to inspect any farm, cowshed, or premises where cows are kept, or the milk of such cows is stored, and the food and water supplied to cows the milk of which is sold, supplied, sent, or brought to a dairy, factory, creamery, or the public ; and should such farm, cowshed, or premises be not kept in a clean and satisfactory condition, and an ample supply of food and fresh water provided, the inspector may notify in writing the owner to remedy such defects within the time mentioned in such notice ; or, should he consider the defects to be of such a nature as to affect the purity or wholesomeness of the milk, he shall at once serve said owner with a notice in writing prohibiting the disposal of such milk until said owner has remedied such defects ; and should said owner refuse or neglect with such notice, he shall be liable to a penalty as hereafter provided. " Either of the aforesaid notices may be in the form or t) the effect of Schedule A hereto.

6. Every person offering milk for sale to a dairy, factory, or creamery, or to the public, shall, unless otherwise stated ia writing, supply pure milk only, as defined by this act. And, tor the purpose of obtaining a conviction under this section, ib shall be sufficient to show that euch milk, so sold, suppUed, brought, or Bent to & dairy, factory, or creamery, or to the publio as aforesaid, is aubsban'iaily inferior in quality to pure milk. 7. No ptrson shall sell, supply, bring, or 02nd to a dairy, factory, or creamery, tr to the public, any milk which has been near or in contact) with any person, animal, or thing suffering from or infected with any infectious Or contagious disease.

8. No person shall sell, supply, bring, or Bend to a dairy, factory, or creamery, or to the public, any milk that is tainted or sour, or taken or drawn from a cow that is suspected or known to be suffering from or infected, with ftny disease, as defined in " The Stock Act 1893," or ulcers, or running sores, or other d.sorders, or during the time the cow is in season, or for four days after calving.

9. Any person to whom milk is offered for sale, and any inspector, may, without payment, take samples cf such milk .for analysis, and the Said samples shall be sealed and packed iv the presence of tho o»vner of or the person offering such milk for sale, and shall be submitted for analysis to an analy&t under v The Adulteration Prevention Act 1880 " ; aud, in case &uch owner cr ptr.-on cft'Tiiig such milk for sale refuses a sample of su'-h milk to be taken for anahsis as aforesaid, he shall be liable to a penalty.

10. Aoy inspector may require the owner or custodian of .any cow or cows, and whose milk is btiug sold, supplied, brought, or sent to a dairy or factory or creamery, or to the public, to allow samples of milk to be taken from any buch cow 3 for the purpose of being sent for analysis to any analyst under " Th« Adulteration Prevention Act 1880 " : Provided that such samples shall be sealed and packed in tha presence of the aforesaid owner or custodian. 11. Every person supplying milk to a dairy, factory, or •creamiry shall, immediately the milk is drawn from the cow, pass the milk over a cooler or aerator for tho purpose of being properly cooled or aerated.

12. Every owner of a dairy, factory, or creamery receiving milk shall pay for the same at per gallon of 111b avoirdupois ; but nothing herein contained shall prevent any dairy, factory, or creamery owner paying for such milk according to the productive character thereof.

13. No person shall manufacture or mix with or add to" milk, cream, butter, or cheese any animal fats, or animal, mineral, or vegetable oils, or extraneous butter fat or oil ; nor shall any person manufacture any butter or cheese, or other milk product, from other than milk or cream, to which may be added sugar, salt, or harmless preservative or colouring matter.

14. Every owner of a dairy, factory, or creamery, manufacturing butter or cheese, and every owner of premises "where milled butter is mixed or blended and packed for export, shall forward to the Minister for Agriculture for free registration, within one month after commencement of operations in each season, the particulars required and set forth in Schedule B to this act.

15. Every person manufacturing a keg, box, or package, or any greater quantity of cheese or butter, shall, before such keg, box, or package leaves the dairy, factory, or creamery, distinctly and durably stamp or mark on each cheese, and also upon each keg, box, or package containing such cheese, or butter, the following particulars, that is say — (1) The words "New Zealand Dairy," or "New Zealand Factory," or " New Zealand Creamery," as the case may be : (2) The true and exact nature and description, as defined in subsection (J) of section two of this act, of the cheese or butter contained therein : (3) The date or dates on which such butter or cheese was manufactured, and the number of the churning or vat, as the case may be. 16. Every person mixing or blending a keg, box, or package, or any greater quantity, of milled butter, shall, before such keg, box, or package leaves his premises, distinctly and durably stamp or m?.rk on each keg, box, or package in red letters the words " New Zealand Milled Butter," and the date on which such milled butter was packed.

Iv addition to the foregoing, any person may affix his registered trade mark, registered under " The Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act 1889," to such keg, box, or package. 17. Every person manufacturing a keg, box, or package of butter or cheese, or mixing or blending a keg, box, or package of milled butter, shall apply to the Department of Agriculture, of Wellington, for a stencil-plate or rubber-stamp with which he shall mark or stamp such keg, box, or package containing such butter or cheese, and also each cheese in such keg, box, or package, as the case may be. Every mark or stamp issued shall be in one or other of the forms set forth in Schedule C, as the case may be, and shall bear a different number for each dairy, factory, or creamery, or premises wftere milled butter is prepared and packed ; and the Department of Agriculture shall register the name, location, and number of each dairy, factory, creamery, or premises, and the name of the person authorised to use such stamp or mark and number.

Every person who Btamps or marks any butter or cheese, or keg, box, or package containing butter or cheese, with a stamp or mark which is not registered, or of which he is not the registered owner, without the authority of euch owner, is liable to a penalty as hereinafter provided.

Every person who neglects, or fails, or refuses to stamp or mark any article produced in the manner above described is liable to a penalty as hereinafter provided.

18. Every person who exports, or causes, procures, or Qffers to export, any cheese, or any keg, box, or package containing butter or cheese, or milled butter, required by this act to bei stamped or marked, and which are not so stamped or marked, or on which any of the aforesaid particulars are to his knowledge false, or inside of which shall be found any stamp or mark other than the true and exact nature and description of the contents of such keg, box, or package, is liable to a penalty as hereinafter provided. - If the person exporting is acting as agent only for the owner or manufacturer of such ohees'e or butter, he may, on receiving notice of any non-compliance with tha provisions of this act, free himself from eny liability by disclosing the name of the owners or manufacturers thereof, as the case may be. 19. The Governor may, by Order-in-Council, declare that from a date to be thereby fixed the following provisions shall be in force : — (1) Every person exporting either butter or i cheese shall have such placed in the cool store proclaimed by the Governor at the porb of shipment for the purpose of being graded, and subsequently frozen or cooled, as the case may be ; in the case of butter at least six days, and cheese three days, prior to shipment. On the despatch of any butter or cheese to the cool store, advice thereof must be immediately posted, addressed to the Government grader at such cool store, giving full particulars of the number of kegs, boxes, or packages, as the case may be, together with the stamps or marks and weights and tares of each keg, box, or package. The ports of shipment to be Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers, and euch others aa the • Governor may from time to time proclaim by Order-in-Oout oil. (2) The Governor may appoint persons who shall grade while in cool store the ooa» tsnts of every keg, box, or paokage oontaining butter or oheeae, and shall stamp or mark each keg, box, or paokage with the fficial flt&mp or mark "**'%& an< j the figure denoting the grade or grades ; and, in the case of cheese, may also durably stamp or mark every cheese in such keg, box, or package in the same manner. The grade marks shall be ; "1" for first grade; "2" for second grade ; " 3 " for third grade. For the purpose of testing the quality of any butter cr cheese, the grader may open and sample a keg, box, or package, or any greater number, of each lot of such batter or cheese. 20. Every person who resists, impedes, or obstructs any inspector appointed or acting under the authority of this act m the lawful execution of his duty ; or Who delays an inspector in the exercise of any power under this act, shall be deemed to be contravening this acb. 21. la all proceedings under this act for any offence or breach thereof, the person against whom such proceedings are taken shall be deemed to have committed the ofFence, or to have done the act charged or alleged, as the case may be, unless he shall prove to the contrary ; and such proof shall not be upon the inspscu r or other officer who shall have taken any such proceedings. 22. Every persoa who contravenes this act in any manner is liable for every such offence to a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds and not less than two pounds. 23. All penalties under this act may be recovered in a summary way before a Stipendiary

Magistrate or any two or more Justices of the Peace under "The Justices of the Peace Act 1882."

24-. Any pecuniary penalty imposed under this act shall, when recovered, be paid into the Public Account and form part of the Consolidated Fund.

25. " The Dairy Industry Act 1892" is hereby repealed, but without prejudice to any regulations or appointments made thereunder, all of which shall continue in force until repealed by this act. SCHEDULES. SCHEDULE A. " The Dairy Industry Act 1891" Notice to Dairyman. To ! Take notice that the belonging to you is [or are] not in a satisfactory condition, and I hereby call upon you to remedy the defects within days [or prohibit you disposing of any milk till such defects are remedied]. Dated this day of 189 . Inspector. SCHEDULE B. Particulars for Registration of Dairy, &c. 1. Name of dairy, factory, creamery, or packing house : Where situated ? 2 NfttnenfftTiri (^ Poat omco distance to J ( AJA J Telegraph or telephone office n,ir«f I ( °) Railway station nearest \^ (l) R hippiug po , t< 3. Name of owner, with address in full. If co-operative dairy company, give name and address of secretary. If joint stock company, give name and address • of secretary. 4. Name of manager, butter maker, or cheese maker. 5. Registered brand or trade mark, if any. 6. Number of patrons supplying milk to the factory or creamery. 7. Longest distance the patrons reside from the factory or creamery. Give an estimate of the average distance the patrons reside from the factory or creamery. 8. Approximate number of cows kept by patrons for supplying the factory or creamery with milk. 9. Are the by-products (eeparated or skimmed milk, buttermilk, or whey) returned to the patrons (or milk suppliers), or utilised at the factory or creamery ? If at the factory or creamery, for what purpose arc they utilised ? 10. If pigs are kept at the dairy, factory, or creamery, state average number. State approximately the number of pigs kept by the patrons (or milk suppliers), in case the by-products are returned. 11. la the milk paid for according to its productive character, or at a fixed price per gallon of 111b avoirdupois ? (a) If the former, what milk tester is used ? (h) Illustrate the basis of calculation used for estimating the productive character of the milk. 12. What price is paid for the milk ? 13. On what terms are the by-products returned to the patrons (or milk supplieis) ?— (n) Separated or skimmed milk (*) Buttermilk ■ (c) Whey. 14. Storage, — Have you a cool chamber in connection with the dairy, factory, or creamery? If so, what is its capacity ? What make of refrigerating machine are you working, if any ? 15. How long is the butter kept at the dairy, factory, or creamery prior to shipment ? What is the average temperature of the cool - chamber in which the butter is kept prior to shipment from the dairy, factory, or creamery ? What is the average temperature of. the cheese store room, or curing room, in which the cheese is kept prior to shipment from the dairy or factory ? What is the average length of time the cheese is kept in curing room at dairy or factory prior to shipment ? SCHEDULE C. NEW ZEALAND FACTORY FULL CREAM CHEESE 25 New Zealand Factory full cream cheese „ „ half skim „ »> ■< pure- „ „ New Zealand Dairy full cream cheese „ „ half skim „ „ ' „ pure „ „ New Zealand Factory pure butter Dairy „ Creamery „ „ Milled butter (in red letters). All these stamps or stencils will be similar to the specimen given above, the exact size to outside of border being five and a-half inches by three inches. OrAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SOCIETY. ' The first meeting of the newly elected committee of the Ofcago Agricultural and Pastoral Society was held at the secretary's office on Saturday morning, and was attended by Messrs F. Patbullo (president, in the chair), James Smith, Joseph Allan, James Gow, G. Todd, B. Charters, A. Todd, R. Gawn, M. Sinclair, J. A. Stewart, A. M'Farlane, J. Wright, A. Sfcronach, W. D. Stewart, James Duthie, S. James, W. Patrick, and A. M'Kay. Apologies were received from Messrs Thomas Brydone, K. B. Ferguson, John Angus, and John Roberts. The Pbesident, Jn welcoming tha newly elected members, informed them that they Would find ample work in farthering the interests of the society, and be hoped that this would be as successful a year as the previous one* NEW ZEALAND CHEESE. The correspondence included a letter from Messrs John M'Nairn and Co., who wrote as follows :—": — " Regarding our complaints as to the inferior quality of New Zealand cheese, we can only say that the first shipments -which arrived this season were inferior, being hard and brittle, but later arrivals have turned out most satisfactory ; and having handled a large quantity of cheese, we are pleased to state that all of our customers have been perfectly satisfied." GENEBAL. It was decided to hold the annual Bummer show on Wednesday and Thursday, 28th and | 29th November (race week), and Messrs John Roberts and P. Pattullo were appointed to represent the society on the council of the I Sheepbreeder&' Association for the registration of purebred flocks. Mr Thomas Calender was elected auditor for the current year, and canvassers were appointed for the town and country districts. Finance, Ground, and Programme Subcommittees were appointed, and on the secretary pointing out that there was a considerable amount of work in reI vising the catalogue for the Summer and Winter shows it was decided that this com- j | xnittee should sit at nights, so as to give members more time to fully consider all classes, and to prepare a draft catalogue for approval at next general meeting. { On the motioo^of Mr Sinclair, a 12 months'

lease was granted to the Tahuna Recreation Company, as per terms of agreement ; and, on the motion of Mr R. Chapters, the secretary was instructed to call for tenders for printing catalogues, &c.

The nominating and appointing of judges for the November show was then proceeded with.

NOTICK OF MOTION.

Mr J. Allan gave notice of the following motion, to be considered at next general meeting :— " That a circular bo forwarded to the various agricultural societies objecting to the proposal of the Otago Harbour Board to levy a district rate, and that they be asked to instruct their representatives to oppose it in the House."

ftOXIOUS WEEDS BILL.

The sub-committee appointed to consider the Hon. John M'Kenzie's Noxious Weeds Bill, after carefully considering each clause, passed the following resolutions and directed the secretary to communicate the same direct to the Minister for Agriculture: — "1. That the bill as drafted is totally unworkable, and if it becomes law would be more harassing to the farmers than the weeds themselves. 2. The committee would further recommend that the schedule of weeds to be considered noxious in any district should be exercised by the Governor only on the recommendation of the local body empowered to deal with same. Section 7 : That it is quite unnecessary to have hard and fast rules fixed regarding the cutting of hedges, and if the hedges are restricted from spreading on the adjoining land that should be all that is required. In many cases the hedges are specially planted for shelter and necessarily required for that purpose. Regarding grubbing gorse, broom, &c., some discretion would require to be given to local bodies in instances where these plants are growing on unproductive lands, or where such do not spread to injure neighbouring lands. Gorse having been allowed to accumulate in places where the land is too steep and rocky for cultivation, to compel owners to clear the same would entail useless expenditure. As regards the total destruction of the weeds scheduled, the committee would point out this is simply impossible, and all that is required is that those weeds be prevented from seeding. Section 8 : That hay, straw, and chaff be deleted from this clause. Section 14- : Not to affect any private arrangements made between landlord and tenant."