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Subsequently, in consultation with the Central Milk Council, the Department of Agriculture advertised throughout the United Kingdom calling for applications for appointment to the position of milk treatment plant supervisor whose responsibility it would be to see that the milk treatment plants met the requirements of the Dairy (Milk Treatment) Regulations 1946. In January, 1947, Mr. T. P. J. Twomey, who has had wide experience in Britain in processing and treating milk, was appointed to thef position in the Dairy; Division of the Department of Agriculture. He arrived in New Zealand in March, 1947, after having visited the Continent to investigate the latest methods of handling of town milk-supplies. Testing of Town Milk Herds for Tuberculosis Infection The report of the Technical Advisory Committee had strongly emphasized the advisability of the compulsory T.B. testing of town milk herds. This recommendation was referred to the Government for consideration. Subseh quently, by amendment to the Stock Act, a programme of compulsory testing for tuberculosis was inaugurated, and has now commenced under the auspices of the Live-stock Division of the Department of Agriculture. The Public Treatment of Milk The problem of ensuring an effective system of milk treatment which would secure high-quality standards both in regard to plant equipment and milk treatment has received the very full consideration of the Council since its inception. After a full review of all existing circumstances, the Council, on the 27th March, 1945, resolved as follows: " In the opinion of this Council, milk treatment plants in the four main centres—namely, Auckland, the Hutt Valley and Bays, Christchurch, and Dunedin Metropolitan Milk Districts should be owned, controlled, and operated by the local Milk Authority." This resolution was communicated to all the local bodies concerned in these areas. Later, on the 22nd November, 1945, the following further resolution was announced by the Council: —■ " That in areas where conditions demanded a change of ownership of the treating house, there should be two alternatives:— "(1) That where the population was 20,000 or over, a request should be made to the local bodies concerned to become the owners and operators of the treating house: "(2) That in the event of the local authority refusing to accept the request of the Central Milk Council, the Crown take the necessary action in providing all the finance for the undertaking and to set up a local board of management or public utility consisting of representatives of local and Government interests." These resolutions were presented to the Government for consideration; Cabinet approved of them in principle on the understanding that voluntary agreements between the Crown and owners of milk-treatment houses to sell could be negotiated, Acting under the general directions of the Central Milk Council, the Director of Milk Marketing commenced negotiations with a number of treatment-house owners, who had indicated their willingness to sell in order to make way for the public treatment of milk along the lines desired by the Council.

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