SHOCKING STATE OF DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 July 1919, Page 3

SHOCKING STATE OF DAIRY.

MILK SENT TO HOSPITALS. Giving evidence in the Wellington Magistrate's Court in the case in which Patrick Cavanagh was fined £4O for selling milk from an unregistered dairy, T. C. Webb, a dairy inspector, said the defendant's dairy was a menace to public health. The place was in a filthy condition, and on a number of occasions the defendant had been notified Jnat he must keep his farm clean, but the whole surroundings were found to be very disgusting. The Department had given the defendant every opportunity to improve his place, but he had done nothing. He continued to sell milk in spite of the Department's notification that iie must not do so.

Similar evidence was given by two other inspectors. When one of the witnesses was giving- evidence the magistrate, Mr. F. . Frazer., asked: "Is this the farm to which the Health Department traced a case of typhoid?" Witness: Yes. The magistrate: How many eases of typhoid were traced to this dairy ? Witness: I cannot say—there were a number.

"The evidence ha's disclosed a state of affairs which is most revolting," said Mr. Frazer at the conclusion of tlie case. "We have direct evidence that a number of cases of typhoid were traced to the milk supplied from this dairy. There also evidence that the 'defendant employed a man suffering from enteric. I do not think that all the excuses of the defendant are genuine. He must know what the inspectors required, and he is cute enough to put off any inquiry as he did when the man was sick. The regulations are there, the inspectors have told him exactly what to do, the health of .the community is in jeopardy, and the defendant never carries out the instructions sent to him, and he continues to supply milk after his certificate of registration has been refused. He supplies to a number of priva'to houses, to hotels, and, worst of all. to a number of private hospitals. Tam inclined to thinkthere is a good deal of won't about the defendant, rather than can't. I am very glad that the tViry inspectors have brought this case. We have sometimes heard complaints about the state of dairies, and a place like this must be an absolute plague spot. I should be failing in my duty if I did not impose a very severe penalty."