NEW MILK REGULATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 23

NEW MILK REGULATIONS.

(PROTEST BY THE DAIRY FARMERS: The- new- regulations affecting the cartage, delivery, and exposure of milk sold br offered' or exposed for sale for human Consumption (but not milk supplied to $, creamery or dairy factory, for manufacturing" purpose*) came into force on the Ist inst: JRiey are as under : — 1. No jmson shall stand, or allow to Bt«ra%. upon any public footpath or pavetnontr any milk or any milk cans- or other Vessels' or utensils used for the carriage Of milk. % No washing or rinsing of milk cans or utensils' must* talce place unless in a proB«a£y constellated building: 3. No- manipulation of milk, such «s mixIng, must take place unless in a properly constructed buiiduig. 4. No preservative of any kind may be added to milk sold as fresh milk. 6. No person shall use for the carriage of milk any- cart used for the carting- of inanurs or any substance? likely to cause mi" •■■ '

6. No ye.ssel the substance, constructiony Or. condition of which is likely to contaminate, milk or depreciate its nutritive va;.ue may bee used for the holding of milk. 7- All carts usedi for the conveyance of tnttk must be- washed clean every day. 8; All milk, unless in the actual process ipf conveyance, must be stored out oi the flirect rays-_ of the sun. 9i No milk- must be exposed for sale unlefflSL in vessels- so covered as to preclude any ! contamination of the milk. I 3D: All measures, dippers, and other utenBils used m the sale of milk must be of Buch construction, substance, and in such condition as will preclude any contamina- ! tion of tile- milk. I liL No zoom, which, iw used as a kitchen- or Irang; room on wherein anyone sleeps, or ■^hich opens- dizectly. off any room, in which «ryone, sleeps, may- be used as- a milk shop sbo^. aujK store. 13. There must be attached to every shop where milk is- sold an efficient supply of hot and? cold water, and- apparatus suitable for j th* cleansing, and sterilising of the vessels USJBi 13- No water closet,, pan closet, or pit privy, cesspool,, or urinal must be wiimn, comarunicate directly with, or ventilate into Any- dairy oi- any room used as « milk store or a milk- shop. U. No- person suffering from any infectious disease, whether notifiable uriaer law or not, may take part in the conveyance, treatment, or sale of milk. , 15". No pan closet, pit privy, cfesspool, or unnal must be within 10ft of any milk ' shop or milk store. lfi. All milk shops, and- milk- storea must toe- kept in such a state of cleanliness as ■will prevent the contamination of tha milk W. No shop where milk- is sola may be -nasd. for the sale or any other article- likely %o> affect, or cause contamination of the milk. | 18. AIL milk for transit must be consigned ' in vessels* of approved pattern, and such vessels most, during transit by rail or boat, be sealed' or locked •19: Iff any person fails to observe oroonunitßva breach of: any of the foregoingTBgulatiuiiß^ he. shall,, upon conviction, bfr liable- to a. penalty not exceeding- £20. By, » new- regulation made under " Th» ' Sale of Food and 1 Drugs Act, 1907"," it is ; provided that milk- snail not . contain less ' than 12 per cent: of total' solids, not less than Bfo per cent, of solids not fa*, not lessthan 3fc per cent, fatty- solida (milk fats); and not more than. 1 per cent, of ash. Thead'dition of water to milk is prohibited. These regulations, have created a very strong feeling, among these concerned in the dairy industry. A*fr a meeting- of' the executive of the DJlinedin ano? Suburban Dairymen's Assoeiktibn, Held at th'o secretary's office on Saturday night, the neir regulations- under " ; 0a» Sale of Food and. Drugs Act, 1907," warn under discussion, and very strong andt oondusLve- arguments were advanced to anew* that certain of. the regulations were entirely unworkable, as they have to beobserved side' by eide. with the regulations under the Dairy Registration and Industry, Act. It" was shown where it was imobserved side by side with the regulations together, as they overlap and contradict each other in many instances. "Ehe action of the compilers of the regulations in attempting to raise what is taken as th& universal standard of butterfat in milk was verjr strongly commented on, argument being- brought to bear to show that: such, a standard was a£ certain. times and under > certain, conditions utterly impossible, and would at any time mean the adoption of a system of culling and selection that would throw out quite 25 per cent, of most milking herds. ' Afr a general meeting to be Held at an early date this- matter will be fully gone into, and steps will then be taken to approach the proper authorities re amendment. The Secretary repoi*ted having written. to the Secretary of Agriculture (Mr Ritchie) requesting a copy of the proposed new dairy regulations for consideration by the association prior to their being gazetted and coming into operation. Much surprise was expressed' by members at the secretary's non-compliance with the request. The Minister of Hands has now been approached in the matter; the' position being' explained,, and: the request for at copy forwarded' to him. Mr H. Maekanzie, M.P., has promised: to mention the matter to- the Minister, requesting that the association be given an opportunity of discussing the proposed regulations before it is too late to suggest any necessary alterations. Tne President of the Dairymen's Association (Mr D. Roy), on being interviewed' * few days agov said the farmers had. previously worked hand in hand' with the Stook. Department in all recommended improvements, and 1 wer& equally in sympathy with the Health Department in its endeavouzb to further the interests of all concerned- But any regulations which would inflict hardships upon the trftde would be Eteenuously opposed. The present regulations had* entirely missed their mark, as *hßy ahowed Ha* the rales of the two departments were contrary to one another. Ota* of the Health Department's new rules wpM to the effect that 10 days must elapse alter calving before the milk was fit for Consumption, but the Stock Department's Cols said that only four d&vs need elapse •ita? calving. The Health Department #as not in & position to determine when a

cow had calved, as it was not empowere to inspect dairymen's premises, only tl Stock Department having that right. Mt Roy said he considered that tL Health Department's new miLk standan that milk delivered for human consump tion must not contain less than 3^ per cent of fatty solids was much too drastic. The . universal standard was 3 per cent., and ' neither he nor any of the dairymen could imagine any conceivable reason for the . rise. This rule would be strongly opposed. The first of the scheduled regulations wouid also be very unfair to dairymen, and was altogether too 6tringeni. In older that the customers might get their supplies in plenty of time, . the men employed to deliver the milk had to do their work as i expeditiously aa possible. Under the new 1 law their hours would be doubled, and a great waste of time would be tfie outcome. At the present time the -non .and lads had i to deliver milk, to consumers who lived in I places not accessible to the delivery carts. In consequence, the man in charge of the I van had to leave sufficient jjnik at con1 venient spots, so that he might not cause j any delay to customers on \he main run. This was the onlj, way to execute the work to the advantage of all concerned. The new rule would hinder expeditious delivery. I and was absurd, to say ths least of it. The farmers would not object to raasonable precautions, such as the enforcement of seourely-covered cans to prevent dust or other sediment from entering r.he cans. Indeed, such a rule would be encouraged, j Rule II was also too rigorous. Most of j the farmers had outside wooden racks in conjunction with a good water supply, and at a reasonable distance from the byres, where- the cleansing work was carried on. There could be no better and cleaner place than" the open air for these operations. Again, in spme cases -a farmer, after distributing his milk, had to do some business in town. The first thing he did was to hose his cans out thoroughly at a town friend's place. Under the new rule the driver would be compelled to wait until he got home before he could clean his cans. This would be foolish in the extreme, as when he got home he would find that the milk, dregs would not only be giving off a mobfc unpleasant smell, but would also have a. bad effect upon the cane. Rule 111 was also ab&urd. Its enforcement would' mean that the customers who were lucky enough to get the- first of. the milk from a can would get the oream, and those who- were unfortunate enough to get the last would get milk which was not all it should be. The mixing was done merely for the sake of giving all the customers an equal share of good rrilk. To meet the trouble the farmers would suggest that each dTiver should carry a cloth or other strainer with him. All danger from contaminating influences would then be successfully coped with. Another grievance the farmer had, said Mr Roy, was the £20 penalty to be imposed, for the violation of the regulations. The penalty was much too harsh, and they thought that a maximum fine of £5 would be ample. Mr Roy said that undoubtedly all' new regulations of this nature had a tendency to raise the price of milk. Milk was very scarce at present, and there was sure to be an advance on- the present pr'aes for the coming winter. How muoh the price was likely to advance it was too early to conjeoture, but if rhe new regulations wer.e enforced a substantial rise in the price was to be looked for. It was not intended, however, to submit to the- new law*. The proper authorities were to be approached, and a revision of the rules was looked for. The Health Department, he considered, might easily bring about a desirable impayment if ft were to inspect more closely the town shops from which much of the milk waff distributed after leaving fehe farmers' hands.