THE DAIRY REGULATIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 118, 11 July 1911, Page 8

THE DAIRY REGULATIONS.

STATEMENT BY HON. T. MACKENZIE. The matter of the dairy regulations was again brought up at the banquet tendered to his Excellency iho Governor at Hawera on Wednesday night in connection with the Dominion Dairy Show. The Mayor, Mr E. Barton, in proposing the health of the Minister ot Agriculture and the Ministry, referred to the fact that tiie dairy regulations had changed the political aspect of Taranaki at the last election. Ho said that Mr Mackenzie had always taken up high ground in his treatment of the department, lifting it above the politics of the day and taking a wide view of all that had to bo done in connection with that important Department of State. The Minister, in replying, said it was pleasing to hear tiro expressions of good wishes regarding the health of the Ministry. Ho humorously alluded to the fact that statements had Keen made that they were suffering from vSorae dire diseases, such as “Tammanyoidcs” and “complications of the chest.” With regard to the Mayor’s observations with respect to the dairy regulations having changed the political current of Taranaki, Mr Mackenzie said that these regulations were suggestions chiefly emanating from those engaged in the dairy industry. They were prompted to secure cleanliness and consequently quality in our output—the very thing the necessity of which his Excellency the Governor had that night been emphasising. Would it be believed that those now notorious regulations, which had been responsible for so much change of members at the last election, wore as a matter of fact entirely non-existing in law and never had had in that respect any existence in fact or practice? They had been submitted to the Agricultural Committee of Parliament for investigation and report. The committee amended thorn and made a report to Parliament, but up to the present moment that report lias never been adopted by Parliament or by anyone. Ho had been told in Stratford in connection with the pasteurisation of skim-milk and whey that if the Government insisted upon this being done they would get into the same difficulty at the forthcoming election as they suffered at the previous one from the suggested dairy regulations. His Excellency had that evening expressed the hope that co-operative bacon factories would be started in Taranaki ; but of what value would such factories lie unless the swine herds of the country were brought, by the agency of pasteurisation, into a state of perfect health? He had great difficulties in connection with tin's important question, hut ho stated iirrmv that so much of the future of tin’s .Dom inion’s welfare was dependent on the high quality of our produce that he intended to pursue, on reasonable lines, the steps necessary to that end. He thanked the fanners for their kindly co-operation in connection with pasteurisation. Ho hoped to rentier it beyond the power of amy supplier by Ins carelessness to destroy the whole output of a factory. In conclusion he added that in those districts where the farmers had been worked up to the strongest antagonism against the regulations they were now asking for additional officers of the Dairy Division to he located in their midst to carry on the good work of improving the output. The member for Patca, when proposing the toast of “Tim Agricultural and Pastoral Industries,” a.lso made reference to the dairy regulations, stating these regulations had been in force and that inspectors had been appointed under them and paid for four mouths. Mr Macken zio, speaking subsequently, corrected the statement of tho member for Patca, pointing out that it was impossible in law to appoint any inspectors to any position under non-existing regulations, am! therefore not one inspector was appointed or paid under the .nuch-dis-cusacd dairy regulations.