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27
inary Surgeon to examine the herd, and until further notice the Minister
concurs in the nomination of any person for the time being holding the
appointment of Local Veterinary Inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries or the appointment of Veterinary Inspector to a Local
Authority under the Diseases of Animals Acts, without reference to the
Minister. If in any case it is considered desirable to nominate a Veterinary
Surgeon who does not hold either of these appointments a special request
should be made for the concurrence of the Minister.
It is also desirable that the County Council, on receiving such an
application, should require the applicant to have one or more samples of
his milk submitted to bacteriological examination at his own expense, and
should satisfy themselves that the results of the examinations are such as
to make it reasonably probable that the milk will comply with the prescribed
tests at the time of distribution.
Where the producer delivers milk to the consumer direct from the
farm it will be necessary for the County Council also to issue the distributor's
licence and to exercise or arrange for the exercise of the functions of a
Sanitary Authority with regard to such milk.
Procedure of Sanitary Authorities.
The action to be taken by a Sanitary Authority on receipt of an
application from a distributor for a licence will depend on the designation
proposed to be used. In every case except that of " Pasteurised " Milk it
will be necessary for them to ascertain the source of supply and then to
satisfy themselves that the corresponding licence has been issued to the
producer.
In the case of " Certified " Milk a licence may ordinarily be issued without
further enquiry.
In the case of " Grade A (Tuberculin Tested) " or " Grade A " Milk
the Authority must verify that the distributor has an efficient arrangement
for bottling, and that, until after bottling, the milk is being dealt with in
a part of the premises separate from other milk. The Authority should
also arrange for an examination of the caps and seals proposed to be used,
and should require the applicant to have one or more samples of the milk
submitted to bacteriological examination at his own expense.
Apart from procedure in connection with new licences, the principal
function of a Sanitary Authority will be to take samples of milk from time
to time and arrange for them to be submitted to bacteriological examination.
The Minister should be informed of the laboratories to which it is proposed
to send the samples, and of the estimated cost. In taking samples of
" Certified " Milk the Authority will be acting as agents for the Minister,