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Retail Distribution of Milk and Other Foodstuffs.
The distribution and sale of foodstuffs in general — milk, bread,
meat, confectionery, etc. — are not carried on in as satisfactory a
manner as is desirable. It would appear that the dangers to which
the community is exposed are either not fully understood or are
ignored by those dealing in these commodities.
In the case of milk, delivery takes place in the street or at
the house doors from open cans to jugs or other open vessels and
the milk is exposed to pollution from dust and other impurities
in the air. The ideal solution is for milk to be drawn from the cows
at the farm under the best possible hygienic conditions and despatched
in sealed containers, to be delivered unopened to the
consumer.
The almost universal practice of distributing bread without
wrappers leaves much to be desired, and renders the article liable
to contamination from many sources before it is eaten. The practice
of changing stale bread for new is also open to strong objection,
and should be stopped.
The continuation of the exposure to dust, etc., of meat,
confectionery (largely consumed by children), and other foodstuffs
in open shops and on stalls is highly objectionable. It does not
appear that much improvement can be effected without legislation.
It would seem necessary that further powers should be granted to
Local Authorities to enable them to deal with this matter.