1.—12 a.

30

[j. G. HARKNESS

which had been put in the sun and allowed to remain there for half an hour or a little longer. You will readily find it developes fishiness. 1 have often seen cans of milk waiting to be taken in at the factory, and the cans have become so hot that they would be too hot to place one's hand on them. That cannot conduce to the making of a high-class butter. The interpretation of dairyman you will find in the interpretation clause. It means the occupier, &c. Surely it does not mean by this that the dairyman shall do this work himself. That is the interpretation of the regulation. The same applies to " dairyman "in paragraph (c). Then, coming to paragraph (c) —the returning of skim-milk and whey in the factory-carts —I am strongly of opinion that whey ought not to be sent back from a factory in the cans which have carried the milk. The regulation as to rust on cans is a very important one. It has been urged that cans may be perfectly rusty on the outside but that they may be clean in the interior. 1 contend if rust is allowed a permanent hold on the outside of the tinned steel you will probably have some indication of that rust on the inside of the can. This is the chemical action of rust on milk. It dissolves the oxide of iron, and this forms, with the lactic acid in the milk, what we call lactate of iron. This always has a bitter taste. This is the result of rust. In regard to the care of milk I have omitted one point. 1 believe there should be a stringent regulation against the use of all preservatives in the whole milk to keep it sweet. I think the clause requiring a man to have his name on his cart should be deleted. It is only put on for identification. The same result could be obtained by giving the dairyman who is registered a number. This is one of those pinpricks in connection with the regulations which dairymen will feel very keenly. The farmer is a peculiarly constructed being, and resents very much little things and small troubles, while he bears with equanimity a serious trouble. I have known a farmer growl for a month over losing 6d. on a cheque of £19, and, after losing two cows in a drain and another two by falling in a drain, come to the factory smiling. This is one of the clauses which will not allow the regulations to work smoothly. The clause preventing the wandering of a calf in the vicinity of the cowshed is, to my mind, too drastic—it will be found impossible to carry it out in practice. The regulation in regard to carrying no dead animal in the milkcart is impossible of enforcement. It will undoubtedly be a hardship on the " small" man who cannot afford a second cart. There will be a great number who will not be able to observe it. I strongly believe that no tainted material should be taken in the same cart as the milk is carried in, but if the farmer is allowed to use his milk-cart for ordinary farm-work, providing it is properly cleaned afterwards, it should amply meet the requirement. In regard to the right of appeal, this is only provided for simple matters of fact; but, in regard to the question of heavy expenditure in connection with the removal of buildings or the construction of new cowshed, yard, and so on, he has no right of appeal. I think these matters at all events should be allowed to be referred to the Chief Inspector of Stock. lam not in favour of arbitration, for the reason that there would be no end of litigation. Personally, as a dairyman, I should be quite content, after stating my case, to leave it to the discretion of the Chief Inspector of Stock in Wellington. I have endeavoured to look at the regulations from a dairyman's point of view, and with the few amendments I have indicated, I am in thorough agreement with them. 1. Mr. Rutherford.'] You said you had a long experience with the farm end of dairying and also at the factory end? —Yes. 2. You wish to convey to the Committee that everything that was possible had been done at the factory end? —Yes. 3. That nothing more could be done there?— Yes. 4. That there was a difference between Danish butter and Canadian cheese and New Zealand butter and New Zealand cheese in price in favour of the Danish and Canadian articles, and to what do you attribute that difference —to dirt or to artificial feed? You mentioned that in Denmark the "cows were fed in the winter-time. Do you attribute it to dirt or feeding, or both—grass-fed against artificial feed in Denmark? —In my opening remarks I said I believed we had reached every improvement that was possible in connection with the manufacturing end of the business. That had made for progress. But we had not made proportionate progress at the other end, or in connection with the farm —that is, the milk end. This can only be done by delivering at the factories milk in a condition suitable for the manufacture of a first-class article. This is the end we must improve if we would manufacture a better article. 5. I asked the question because you said Danish cows were stall fed? —That is one of the reasons New Zealand produce demands a high price. We send it Home in the summer, when it receives a winter value. The Danes are hand-feeding at that period of the year, and our produce is made from grass. 6. Do you think that butter made from grass is better than butter made from artificial feed? Y eg; Ido not think any fodder that can be given to cows will equal the best English grasses. 7. Mr. Okey.] Your experience in Taranaki has not been in the back country?— Yes, I milked for two years twenty cows in an open paddock. 8. You are acquainted with the grading of the different factories? —Yes. 9. One of the great complaints is feed flavour? —Yes. 10. Can you suggest the regulations will do any good in connection with that : loss of points through feed flavours in the spring-time? —The loss of points is generally due to defective flavours, but not always feed flavours. 11 Do you not think that section 23 is a sufficient guarantee for clean carts and utensils, without sections 24 and 31 ?—No, Ido not. There is nothing in that clause to prevent a man carrying bonedust or manure with his skim-milk or whole milk. 12. Do you see any harm in carting back general produce with skim-milk? —It is advisable; as far as possible, to prevent anything being carried in the cart which will cause a taint to the milk.