THE STANDARD OF MILK AGGRIEVED VENDORS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 9

THE STANDARD OF MILK AGGRIEVED VENDORS.

WELLINGTON, August 27. A deputation of milk vendors waited on tbe Minister of Public Health (the Hon. D. Buddo) to-day for the purpose of ventilating a grievance. The suLject matter of the complaint really arose out of some prosecutions which recently took place in Wellington. Mr R. A. Wright. M.P., said that the deputation represented some 50 or 60 suppliers in Wellington. The deputation felt that it might be possible where the success of a prosecution rented on the analysis for an analyst to make a mistake, and there was a feeling that the word of the analyst was accepted without a possibility of rebuttal in the courts. Mr Henry Bodley asked, as the spokesman of the deputation, what system of analysis was adopted by the Government officers ; what safeguards to provide against incorrect analysis. He mentioned that a Milk Vendors' Association was being formed in Wellington, and in time they would probably undertake the testing of their own milk. In reply the Minister said he was pleased that the deputation had come to him to talk the matter over in the presence of Drs MaeLaurin (ajialyst), Valintine. and Makgill. The questions asked as to analysis would be duly answered by the departmental officers. It had been suggested that unnecessary delay took place, in bringine orosecutions. This wa-s not so. It would be very unwise to rueih into prosecutions. In regard to the recent cases, prosecutions were brought in the worst cases only. He also wished to point out that the analyst knew nothing of the identity of the persons vending milk which had been submitted for analysis. Samples were numbered" only. He (the Minister did not wish to hamper any milk supplier. Dr V^linline. too, had practical knowledge of the difficrlties of the milk supolier. What was wanted was to keep the standard of purity of milk up to the highest possible point. The Health Department would endeavour to work hand in hand with the suppliers.

He promised - that if the suppliers sub- * mitted at different periods samples of milk to the department, analysis would be made free of cost and the results forwarded to the persons concerned. This would enable suppliers to keep their milk up to a proper standard. Of coarse, this privilege should not be availed of to too great an extent. : Dt MacLaurin , then gave a technical explanation of the jnethod of the analysis I made by him. In reply to Mr Wright, j he admitted that no analyst could say '• that water had actually been added. It might be a case of very poor milk. The } analyst had a standard to go by, and that was the only thing he could go by. Because milk was poor (as it came Irani the cow) that did not give the vendor the right to sell it. The law required a certain standard.