THE MILK SUPPLY.

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18394, 30 July 1931, Page 6

THE MILK SUPPLY.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. THROUGHOUT THE DOMINION. HAMILTON DAIRYMEN SUPPORTED AN AUTHORITY COMMENTS. Support for the Waikato Times pure milk campaign is contained in a letter from Dr. Martin Tweed of Heretaunga in which'he comments on the position in Hamilton and New Zealand generally. Dr. Tweed is a close associate of Sir Truby King, president of the Plunket Society, and also an authority on milk production. “Any efforts towards clean milk production and distribution have my warmest support, and I consider that the voluntary offer of the Hamilton Milk Vendors’ Association to submit to more rigid inspection and control by the Borough Council, was a really noble one, and one which if adopted will undoubtedly lead to the supply of a product of guaranteed purity to the Hamilton public,” states Dr. Tweed. “This will particularly benefit babies and children and should lead to a far larger consumption of fresh milk by everyone. “By No Means Perfeot.” “There Is no doubt that ‘even In New Zealand’ there Is room for a groat deal of Improvement, ■ both as regards production and distribution. Systematic bacteriological examinations of dairy milks at the Government Laboratories at Wallaceviile and elsewhere in New Zealand prove conclusively that very little of the milk of New Zealand would come under the category of certified milk as it is understood in England and in the United States. Ido not mean that New Zealand milk is bad; I merely wish to show it is not by any means perfect. Nor do I wish to reflect upon the average dairyman. It is merely a question of (1) Education. (2) Attention to commonsense and simple details. (3) public demand for a guaranteed clean milk. “The chief need in New Zealand as far as clean milk production is concerned, is for legislation to be passed fixing the grading of milk under Government or municipal control on the lines of that adopted in England and America so that those who require it, particularly mothers with newlyweaned babies, may toe able to obtain a supply of toacteriologically controlled milk.

“I do not consider milk a dear article of food, the good value 'of pure, fresh milk being so great That it is one of the cheapest. I am sure a ..clean milk competition could do nothing hut good, and you will find both dairyfarmers and dairymen—of whom as a class I have tne very greatest admiration for their long arduous hours of work —will co-operate whole-heartedly and become as keen on , clean milk competitions as they are on cheese and butter contests. “Knowing as you do that it Is impossible to make really good cheese from pasteurised imllk," Dr. Tweed concluded, “you will readily understand the importance of factory milk being so clean that It is unnecessary to pasteurise it before cheese-mak-ing."