MILK AND CREAM TESTING

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4308, 24 August 1921, Page 2

MILK AND CREAM TESTING

k NEED FOR REFORM, SOME CANDID REMARKS. Immediately following the general meeting of the Thames va’.’ey Dairying Co., Ltd. (in liquidation), Mr W. J. Byrne addressed the meeeting. Mr M. Darlington, of Waitoa, wag voted to the chair. Mr W. J. Byrne stated that a number of the factory managers did not understand 'the work of testing. Managers should have an opportunity if studying and passing examinations in testing, for which the successful 'candidates should receive Government certificates of p.mpetency. The practice" was followed in Australia, “Denmark, and other countries, and New Ze.aland was behind in this respect. Every supplier should have the assurance that ’the managers in charge Jt testing were thoroughly qualified tc. - perform this work in a satisfactory manner. It was of vital importance to every dairy farmer, because his whole living depended on being paid for what he produced and delivered to the factory. There was something wrong with the system which accepted a man’s statement that he was qualified to test milk and t cream accurately without the fullest investigation being made by the management ■ hat this was correct. This was not the only district where the testing methods employed had occasioned criticism. At a recent Farmers’ Union conference a remit was passed recommending that al.h men engaged in testing work should possess the necessary qualifications.

Mr Buchanan asked for the names of the managers who were not qualified.

Mr Byrne refused to give <no names, stating that he did npt want to take the men’s living away. Mr Buchanan said it was not right to make such statements without giving the names.

Mr F. W. Walters said the managers in his district were efficient; he had ascertained this by personal investigations. z Mr Byrne said very few, if any, of the local committeemen were qualified to understand testing or to express an opinion on the qualifications of their men in this respect. He had warned the company that a number of the men were no£ competent before the work w.as placed in their hands. The company and directors were, to blame for not giving the necessary instruction and equipping the- men with- proper appliances for testing. The Government should insist on every man being qualified. Mr Dixon said he had always been in favour of testing being done at central stations. The managers, when they erred at all, read the tests too high. Two authorities had given 130 and 140 degrees, respectively, as the right He had given instructions .to use 135. Gear had always been asked for. He believed centralisation would be in the interests of all; the suppliers. It had been arranged that the- managers were all to be instructed with a view to co-ordinating and making testing uniform. In answer to Mr Walters, Mr Byrne admitted that the two men referred to had not previously done any testing for the company. Mr Vuglar said he ha& done his own testing, and it had agreed exactly, always, with the factory test. Mr Dixon said the whole of the cream tests were taken-at the central' stations, such as Paeroa, It was only cheese tests that were taken 'at the factories. 1 Mr Byrne thanked ’.those present for the patient hearing they had given him, and could assure them that his only object in bringing the matter forward was to ensure that efficiency which the subject demanded.