IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1921, Page 4

IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCE.

INSPECTION GF DAIRIES. The advisability of approaching the Government with the idea of securing Government inspection of dairies was discussed at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki executive of the Farmers’ Union at New Plymouth. Mr. A. J. Kurth said he wished the meeting to express an opinion on this most important matter. On several occasions at different meetings of farmers he had broached the subject, and had received very little support. It had been said that already the Government supervised dairies, but he had been dairying for six years, and had only seen an inspector on one occasion. The dairy factory directors or managers themselves could not carry out inspection, and a totally disinterested person was required for the work. Mr. Kurth said that a member of a hospital board had recently stated that a great many cases of infectious diseases admitted to the hospitals came from defective dairies, so that the matter had now almost become the concern of the health authorities. Apart from this aspect there was a great financial gain awaiting the dairy industry if by the strict inspection of dairies the milk supplies could be so improved as to make the production of a. higher grade of butter and cheese possible. The secretary (Mr. G. H. Buckeridge) agreed with Mr. Kurth that if a more uniform quality of produce were exported the prices obtained would probably increase at least a farthing per pound, which would mean, on the total output of cheese from the Dominion, about £189,000 a year.

Mr. Kurth said the factory managers generally were very capable,* but it was impossible for them to turn out a firstclass article from inferior milk. The Homo markets were becoming bare of dairy produce, and this offered a great opportunity for New Zealand producers if they could make a good name for New Zealand produce. The chairman (Mr. E. Dunn) said he considered it was a matter for the separate directorates and not for Government supervision. The factories should combine and formulate a scheme whereby inspection could be carried out. Mr. E. Maxwell said he wished to issue a warning in this connection. At various times previously, attempts had been made to secure strict Government supervision of dairies, and a veritable storm of protest had been raised throughout the Dominion. To cari*y out an efficient scheme of inspection an army of inspectors would be required, and at this time, when the Government’s policy was retrenchment, it would cme badly from the Farmers’ Union to advocate a system that would greatly increase administration costs. Besides, they had all had experiences of “red tape” methods and knew what it would moan. Another important aspect of the question was that there was a large number of farmers, including many returned soldiers, who had only a very insecure footing on the land, and the increased cost of working their holdings entailed in the improvements that would become necessary under Government supervision would press heavily upon them, and probably make their positions untenable. Mr. S. Vickers said he had questioned the statements in regard to the infectious diseases being tracable to dairy farms, and in no case could proof be brought forward in support of the statements.

After a little further discussion it was decided to instruct the secretary to make enquiries from the department and ascertain the exact position in regard to the inspection of dairies before proceeding any further.