REGULATION OF DAIRIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5667, 11 September 1896, Page 6 (Supplement)

REGULATION OF DAIRIES.

» The regulations for governing the milk supply of the Christchurch. district, which, after a long consideration, have been . adopted by the several local bodies concerned, certainly do not err an the side of being oppressive upon the dairymen. In fact, they are far less stringent than the conditions which the suppliers of milk to large cities of Europe and America have voluntarily adopted, and are' cairying out at a considerable expense, with the assistance of inspectors and veterinary surgeons of the highest qualifications. Briefly, the regulations prescribe that no person shall carry, on the trade of dairyman or milk-vendor unless he is registered at the office of the local Board, the particulars given in such registration to include the name, exact address, dimensions of premises and number of cattle of the person registering. The whole of the premises of each person registered are to be from, time to time visited by the Inspector appointed by the local Board, and if any of the cattle there are found fco\be diseased .or in an unhealthy condition the milk from the particular animal or fro*m the whole herd may be prohibited from being disposed of for human food, or for the food of. swine or other animals, until the Inspector shall remove the prohibition. The dairyman may^ by a veterinary certificate that his cattle are not in an unhealthy condition, claim that they shall be examined by a veterinary surgeon on behalf of the Local Board, but if they shall then be certified as being in an unhealthy condition there shall be no further appeal. It is provided that as soon as any requisition which may be made by the Inspector shall have been complied with and any danger to the public health shall- have ceased to 'exist, the prohibition against the sale or use of the milk of the animal or herd shall be removed. Sufficient, while reasonable, regulations are laid down for the construction, drainage, water supply and good order generally of dairies, cowsheds, &c, for cleanly milking, for the straining of the milk, and for the exclusion of any person suffering from any contagious or infectious disease from dairy work; also, for ensuring thatthe local Board or- Inspector shall be informed of any case of infectious or contagious disease in the family or amongst the employes of the dairyman or milk-vendor. No sleeping 'apartment -is to-be used as a milk store,, and no swine are to be kept within 60ft, nor any cesspool, dungheap or similar matter within 30ft of any cowshed, daixy or milk store. The next step will be to appoint qualified officers to carry out the regulations.

Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs: — I. hear good opinions on all sides about Mr Buick's, paper in. the August Review of Reviews on the Labour members of our Assembly. The key-note of the paper pleases widely. It is that the presence of Labour members in the House is the outcome of a general desire on the part of the workers to discard strikes and organise for getting justice from Parliament. 'Naturally the' measure most commended in the paper" is the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. As a short, pithy and pregnant presentment of a great new departure Mr Btiick's paper finds much favour. -