Ways of Living.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 421, 12 May 1904, Page 7

Ways of Living.

DTSHONEST MILKMEN.

the messura of pro&4&k lection afforded by the Food and Drags Act, said a retired milk dealer to the writer, it would Burpiise you to know tha man; ways in whicl* the British public can be defrauded bj tae ' sinart' man. It is questionable if there is another business, so closely watched by the authorities, which affords 'more opportunities for the dishonest dealer.,.-.--■? -svs i'&a -•-

As regards actual adulteration, the pro* prietor of a dairy has probably the best chances, for when a sample has been taken ,by the inspector for analytical purposes, 'every milkman knows'the odds ate great against another sample being taken for' several days, if not weeks, to come. Immediately : the inspector turns his; back, .therefore,'there ia nothing to hinder a ■mfli from adding thirty or'forty per cent. 0! water to hisstock,if he feels so disposed. "' Then in the matter of measure, there is a good opportunity to score at the oxpeE&e of the customs*. A c'b#eidsrable saving? |§aijtlf|i| JSffectaid by. t-jkimplag'' ntilkmen, which means a profit to the rotaUer;in ; proportion to the size of the •dinge.' ;/ long s often; mere deception, imagine- they receive a 'Uttle measure, when, in realiisyl They what, they are entitled to. The dealer, you will find, in nine cases, out of sen, does not altogether empty his measure into your jug, the. 'long from your actual pint. There is no 'make-up* about.it. ;| ' . : „„ ~..-." -Sipping the ? mEasnre is a commbjo]sng;s amongst outside milkmen. When milk is served at your door, you rarely see it measured,; so it is Afe once,,Qb>ions:, tha%tof an unscrupulous man, the {temptation to clWt is "very strong.' It is dealer who has not a few huadred outside customers, hence the" profits accruing from this practice are often larg& -.,-.?' As ah inatenee of how far this device is casried oa (i I may mention that for some* "timet; employed a ntah s tb*filrve'my' bn# door customers. All went well until one day I received by pos'ta shillings from a lady whose name was not :6n, my books.-Thinking there must be some mistake, I called upon the. lady, when I was surprised to learn that my man had been her for several months,;, and had pocketed the money. But that was nothing, for, when taxed with iV he admitted having sixteen others; whom, he had been- serving in the Bams way without my knowledge. Of course, he had not been robbing mi; he had been robbing my customers by giving short measure all round. Then, again, many people complain that the milk is not good it it ha 3 notarich colour, but how many know that' it is. "' really ''coloured' by the iailkm»B'f little milk is sold in towns that has not undergone this process. One morning a, dealer fourd that he had run out of '-« colouring/ aad was, therefore, compelled to-serve bis milk without it.. Next, day his customers, almost without exception, complained of the 'poor quality' of the * milk I—J.K.T.