The Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1927. THE CITY’S MILK SUPPLY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18187, 21 June 1927, Page 8

The Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1927. THE CITY’S MILK SUPPLY.

Diseases like typhoid are undoubtedly carried by milk, as yesterday’s cablegram from Montreal indicated. These dangers occur where the milk becomes contaminated in handling, and that is one of the reasons why so much care is taken to ensure a pure milk supply for cities in particular. But the possibility of outside infection is as nothing to the danger inherent in a milk supply that is drawn from tuberculous cows. These facts should be considered carefully in relation to the City Council’s deliberations and the question of establishing a municipal milk supply. If the tuberculin test is applied to all dairy herds, such as the experts have wisely recommended, the greatest danger would be got over, irrespective of the method of distribution. And if, for the sake of argument, the herds supplying a municipal depot were tested, and the herds supplying private distributors were not tested, the public could have no possible choice as to the safest source of supply. These are some of the considerations that must weigh in connection with the discussion of a city milk supply. The council’s committee of experts states that “ if all the measures employed in the production, storage, carriage, and distribution of the milk are carefully supervised, and a high standard insisted upon, there is no reason why Christchurch should not have a thoroughly satisfactory milk supply." Just how that supervision could be carried out is the important question of the hour. The Mayor says he is firmly convinced that it cannot be done effectively apart from a municipal supply, but, on the other hand, there is some doubt as to whether the Wellington experiment (which is not, by the way, a monopoly) is reassuring enough to j ustify Christchurch in proceeding on the same lines. Councillor Armstrong, for instance, does not want to be a party to “ any half measures.” » The evidence before the council shows that most of the dairymen supplying the city are doing their best to supply good, pure, unadulterated milk, hut there are a number of black sheep who have to be eliminated. This is a matter for the immediate attention of the Health Department. On the effectiveness of the methods that are adopted to eliminate the dishonest tradesman the whole question of what is best to do depends. Even the most reputable suppliers have been thwarted to some extent in their efforts to bring about an improvement. For instance, there can be no doubt that a bottle supply is more satisfactory than a can and dipper supply. But there is already evidence that a few dishonest men have exploited even the bottle method of distribution. The only conclusion that can be come to is that, if the standards demanded by the experts who have advised the council can be reached only through a municipal supply, there should be no hesitation in taking that course. The establishment of a women's rest room is likely to be long delayed if its advocates continue to turn their eyes towards the old Chester Street Fire Station. It would he possible, and it might appear to be quite reasonable, to obtain legislative authority to use the building for the purpose, notwithstanding the fact that it stands on a recreation reserve. But it is worth noting that the building is so old and verminous that it would be quite unsuitable for conversion to a women’s rest room. The question, therefore, is whether the site is the most suitable, and whether it would not be wiser to look elsewhere. The attitude of the council seems to be that, if a better site could be procured, it would be unwise to persevere with the Chester Street idea, and without being prepared to suggest a Letter site offhand, unless it be on the council’s property next to the Clarendon Hotel, we entirely agree with that view.