UNCLEAN MILK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1779, 18 June 1913, Page 10

UNCLEAN MILK.

GRAVE ALLEGATIONS.

DISCUSSION BY FARMERS,

At x- F.a'ntrston.North, June 17. At the Rational Dairy Conference today, Mr. I'Ted. Nathan, of the Defiance Dairy Company, alleged .that lack of cleanliness on the part of the dairy farmers was militating against the quality of New Zealand s dairy produce, and stated that steps might havo to bo taken to obtain btato Departmental supervision.' Milking machines and separators in many cases vrers allowed to remain in a state of disgraceful dirtiness. "I havo seen," he said ''separators with maggots in them, and though it might ba rather a nasty, or even regarded as a rude thing to say I cannot help remarking that it seems tiat farmers are mixing so much with .tho pigs that they do not recognise dirt when they see it. Was trade going to be ruined through fifty per cent, of the farmers being too lazy to clean their dirty milking machines t Mr. Nathan moved: "That this meeting views with great concern the public utterances of the Hon. the Prime Minister (Mr. W. I\ Massey) and Mr. D. Cuddie, tho chief of the dairy division, in reference .to the influence milking machines are having upon the Dominion's dairy produce, and expresses the opinion that some steps should be adopted to mitigate the evil." Mr. Moore thought that Mr. Nathan had spoken rather swcepinglv about the farmers. However, he (Mr. 'Moore) had visited Denmark, where he found that machines had not improved the produce. Mr. Wilkinson (Oroua Downs) thought that there was a great deal of truth in what Mr. Fred. Nathan had said, aad he thought that the valuable educative addresses delivered annually at the National Dairy Conference should bo printed and circulated amongst the farmers. The president, Mr. A. Morton, pointed out that tho addresses wero published in book foVm and sold at sixpence per volume. Complaint was also made by several speakers to tho effect that milk'that was rejected by some factories was practically received by other factories, inasmuch as farmers turned away from one depot wero frequently accepted at another. Mr. Parsons, New Zealand Dairy Union, seconded tho motion. Mr. E. Griffiths, of Messrs. Griffiths and Co., New Plymouth, suggested .that the association's extcutivo should confer with the Dairy Commissioner, Mr. D. Cuddie, on tho subject. Mr. Jones expressed the opinion that if the factory directors stood by tho factory managers, ;th? managers would be in a position to refuse dirty milk. Mr. Wilkinson (Orcua Downs) said that tho directors could take a stand which would sottlo tho question without inspectors. His factory introduced a system of paying full price for first grade cream. The man who brought second grade cream got a halfpenny reduction, and tho man who brought third grade croam got it back. Tho result was that the factory did very well in competition. Several speakers said that the machino milk was not th-e only trouble. Handmilkers wero not all clean. 1 Tho president ashed Mr. D. Cuddic, tho Dairy Commissioner, to address the meeting. Mr. Cuddie was received with applause. 110 said Hmt this year there had been many complaints from Home, and these complaints c<;t;id bo verified from three differ; nt souwe-s. He had noticed not only the moisture tronblo in checso, but a great lalling-oil in body and texture. Mr. Wright, the New Zealand Agricultural Department's representative in England, hail found serious defects, and had found that buyers' complaints wero justified. There was no denying, however, that New Zealand hud sent away a large quantity of cheeso which was of the very highest quality. As to the reason for complaints, he believed th;y were duo to a combination of circumstances. One was the great and rapid growth of the output of cheese, and another a deterioration in the quality of the milk. It was moro difficult to-day than formerly to make a firstclass cheese. He was not against milking machines, as he knew them to bo essential to-day. Departmental inspectors had examined 300 milking machines, and hod found only 23 per c«nt. clean. About 60 'per seat.. wero » bad that ha would not

caro to describe them on a public platform. Thero were about 4000 milking machines in use in New Zealand now. Another difficulty was that conditions between the factory and tire port of shipment wero not of the best, tor instance, when checso was conveyed in open railway trucks an inherent defect was developer. He did not wish to sco Stato inspectors appointed to t/>p© with tho trouble. It would mean an army of inspectors and au extra expenditure of p?r year. However, if a remedy was not effected, the farmers would have to nceeptt a lower prico for their choese. Thebest thing ho could suggest at present was that where a supplier was found to bo delivering unclean milk, tho factory directors should communicate with tho Commissioner, who would send a man to endeavour ito bring pressure upon tha supplier to mend his ways. Mr. Nathan's motion was carried by a fair majority.