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Although the council decided to cancel the registration of this firm in July, 1938, it was not
until February, 1939, that they were legally barred from carrying on a milk trade, and had the
final appeal not been abandoned they could have continued until such time as it had been determined
in the courts. It would seem unfortunate that the existing law for dealing with this type of offence
provides the defendant with an opportunity of securing such a long drawn out procedure.
Sterilisation of Milk Utensils.
During the latter half of 1937, the public health committee resolved to regard as unsuitable for
retention on the register of dairies any milk shop in which milk was sold in bottles, filled and closed
on the premises, unless scalding equipment had been provided. All milk shops in Kensington
where milk is sold in bottles filled on the premises have now been supplied with this equipment, and
the council's inspectors pay surprise visits from time to time to satisfy themselves that the bottles
are being properly scalded. Attention is also given to this matter during routine inspections, 482
of which were made during the year.
Milk (Special Designations) Orders, 1936 and 1938.—The 1936 order revoked an earlier one,
and reduced the number of designated milks to three, namely, Tuberculin Tested, Accredited, and
Pasteurised. In 1937, the (iuty of inspecting dairy cattle was transferred from the local authorities
to the new veterinary service organised by the Minister of Agriculture, and a new order, dated
1938, gave effect to this change. One or two other minor alterations were also made.
The following is a brief summary of the requirements for each grade of milk:—
Tuberculin Tested.—The requirements for this grade are substantially the same as those formerly
prescribed for Grade A (Tuberculin Tested) milk. It must be raw milk from cows which have passed
a veterinary examination and a tuberculin test, and it may be bottled on the farm or at a licensed
bottling establishment. A sample of this milk taken at any time before delivery to the consumer
must satisfactorily pass a prescribed methylene blue reduction test and must not contain bacillus
coli in one-hundredth of a millilitre. The milk may be pasteurised, in which case it must be
described as Tuberculin Tested Milk (Pasteurised), and must not contain more than 30,000 bacteria
per millilitre. If it is bottled on the farm, the word Certified may be added to its designation.
Accredited.—The requirements for this grade are similar to those formerly prescribed for Grade A
milk. It is raw milk from cows which have passed a veterinary examination, and may be bottled
on the farm or at a licensed bottling establishment. It must satisfy the same bacteriological tests
as are prescribed for raw Tuberculin Tested milk.
Pasteurised.—This designation is applicable where Accredited milk or ungraded milk
is pasteurised in accordance with the requirements of the order. The conditions imposed are the
same as in the order of 1923, except that there are additional requirements with regard to
thermometers and temperature records. During pasteurisation the milk must be retained at a
temperature of 145-150 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of at least 30 minutes.
The licences granted in 1938 were as follows:—
Principal Supplementary
licences. licences.
Dealers' licence to bottle and to sell Tuberculin Tested milk 2 –
Dealers' licence to sell Tuberculin Tested milk 15 4
Dealers' licence to pasteurise milk 1 –
Dealers' licence to sell Pasteurised milk 45 8
(Note.—Supplementary licences enable the holders to sell graded milks in Kensington from premises
situated outside the borough.)
The council, under the Milk (Special Designations) Orders, may, subject to the licence holder's
right of appeal to the Ministry of Health, suspend or revoke a licence where there has been a breach
of any of the conditions under which it has been granted. The council took action under this power
against the company referred to under the heading " Milk and Dairies (Amendment) Act, 1922,
on page 50 of this report. The company had held a licence to pasteurise milk for three years,
during which time a number of complaints had been made with regard to the milk sold by them in
Kensington and elsewhere. Other complaints dealing with the conduct of the business had also
been made.
When the company applied for a renewal of the licence in December, 1937, the public health
committee adjourned consideration of the application until the directors of the company had appeared
before them. In due course two of the directors attended on the committee, and were told of the
various matters which had been the subject of complaint. They were informed that before the
licence could be renewed the committee desired to be assured that there would not be further breaches
of the conditions of the licence. They gave this assurance and the licence was renewed, but a warning
was given to the company that any further breach of the conditions of the licence might lead to its
revocation.
Further unsatisfactory samples were taken in April, 1938, and a notice was served upon the
company requiring them to show cause why their pasteuriser's licence should not be revoked.
After considering the representations made by the company, the committee decided to revoke
the licence. The company appealed to the Ministry of Health within the prescribed time, but a
decision was withheld in view of the other proceedings which were then in progress against the
company. At the beginning of 1939 this appeal was withdrawn.