The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, SEPT. 20, 1892.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3158, 20 September 1892, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 20, 1892.

Eoual and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

We are in receipt of the Dairy Industry Bill. This measure,brought in by the Hon. Mr McKenzie, is likely to have an important bearing upon the calling, ot' business, of milk suppliers and butter manufacturers. We give, therefore, a short synopsis of its provisions, noting nc the same time the alterations which have been made in Committee. Clauses 1 to 3 are explanatory ; Clause 4 provides that every inspector under the Act shall have a right of access to all factories, vessels, etc., the words "farms and buildings" being struck out; and he has also power to open any keg, box, or package to ascertain whether or r.ot any false description has been given of its contents, and he may take samples for analysis. Clause 5 makes it compulsory for all exporters of dairy produce to have a registered trade mark, which shall be branded upon articles intended for export, and for every package not so branded a penalty of not exceeding £5 is iinposed. Clause 6 provides that any owner of a dairy who is manufacturing 15001b (altered in Committee to lOOOlli) of pure milk daily into cheese or butter may, upon satisfying the inspector, obtain permission to brund hi.s produce with the words "factory " or " creamery." Clause 7 provides that every package of cheese or butter exported shall, in addition to the registered trade mark, bear the full particulars of the nature of its contents : failing which, or in the case of false description, the exporter is liable to a penalty of not less than £"i or more than £100. Clauses

8 lo 11 an: for lli:i prevention of idulter.ited milk bring sold to tlio f.ic;ioi ies, or of tho being kept biirk, or of tliH milk of diseased cows beino sont. Tin? tenth c!uuse, which rel ited to milk tainted or sour, has heen struck out. Clause 12 gives the penalty for every infringement of the 'three previous clauses, which upun conviction shall l.e not more than .£lO nor less than £■_> Clauses 1 ■'> and l-l provide for the analysis of milk offered for sale, or, if required, of submitting cows at' the farm for the purpose of a milk test, any refusal or obstruction to the due performance of which involves a penalty of not less than £o. Clauses 15 and 10 provide for the evidence required to obtain a conviction, which, briefly, is that any person charged with a breach of the provisions of Sections 8 to 11, it will be sufficient to show that the milk is substantially inferior in quality to ptire milk, provided the test is made by means of a lactometer, cream guage, or some other proper test. in the case of any complaint laid as above, it shall be. sufficient to describe the milk as deteriorated, without specifying the cause of deterioration, and proof of any of the above causes of deterioration shall be sufficient to obtain a conviction. All penalties under this Act may be recorded before a Resident Magistrate or two justices: but we note that the provision to grant halt the penalty to the informer has been struck out. From the foregoing it will be gathered that the Legislature are determined that this important branch of agriculture shall be placed upon a better footing than heretofore. Greater responsibility will certainly devolve upon milk suppliers and manufacturers, but an ample recompense will be obtaiued in the higher standard immediately taken by New Zealand dairy produce in the markets of the world. Some of the provisions of the Act may, at first, be regarded as unnecessary ; but it must be borne in mind that the high position held by Danish butter in the English market is attributed mainly to the rigid course of inspection and classification which all their dairy produce has to undergo before being allowed to leave the country.