View report page

28
The following extract from the "Times" newspaper of the 12th February
last indicates the attitude of the Government towards the question of milk
supply* :—
House of Lords.—Tuesday, llth February, 1908.
"MILK SUPPLY.
"The Earl of Northbrook asked the President of the Board of Agriculture
"whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce legislation with
"regard to the inilk supply during the present Session ; and, in the event of such
"legislation being introduced by the Local Government Board, what steps the
"Board of Agriculture proposed to take for the purpose of safeguarding the
"interests of agriculture. He said that the dairy farmers realized that legislation
"was not only desirable, but was necessary to ensure the supply of pure and
"wholesome milk to the consumers. They would welcome such legislation if it were
"just and equitable, and were applied to the whole country. The present system of
"controlling the milk supply was eminently unsatisfactory. It was based on orders
"which were permissive, and legislation which had been piecemeal. Some local
"authorities had made rules under the Dairies and Milkshops Orders of 1885-86
"which were carried out in a satisfactory manner ; others had made orders which
"were carried out in a perfunctory way ; in a large number of cases rural and
"urban sanitary authorities had not chosen to make any regulations at all, and in
"their districts the milk supply was without any supervision whatever. The
"London County Council had powers of dealing with the milk supply under
"three Acts, and were endeavouring to get more in a General Powers Bill
"this Session. In a considerable number of districts there were two, three,
"or four authorities with overlapping jurisdiction, with the result that
"unnecessary burdens were put upon the farmers. A general public Bill was, in
"these circumstances, desirable in the interests of both producer and consumer. It
"had been announced by the President of the Local Government Board that the
"Government thought it desirable that there should be legislation during the present
"Session. His question invited a more definite statement. In speeches both by
"the President of the Board of Agriculture and by Sir E. Strachey, who spoke for
"the Board in the other House, farmers had received warnings as to possible
"legislation, which had produced some feeling of insecurity and alarm, which, he
"hoped, would now be allayed. He acknowledged the scientific equipment of the
"Local Government Board, but reminded the President of the Board of Agriculture
"that the milk supply required to be dealt with from a practical as well as a
''theoretical point of view, and that any question concerned with cattle should be
"dealt with by the competent advisers of the Board of Agriculture, in whom the
"agriculturists had confidence. He hoped the President of the Board of Agriculture
"would give consideration to the suggestion that before any legislation was
"introduced an inquiry, Parliamentary or departmental, should be held into the
" question of the milk supply of the country.
"Earl Carrington said he was glad to be able to announce that he had received a
"letter from his right hon. friend the President of the Local Government Board stating
"that it was the intention of the Government to introduce legislation this Session in
"respect to the milk supply of the country. He agreed that the milk industry was
"not in the satisfactory condition which every one desired ; and as the great object
"of the present Government was practical legislation he felt sure that in the
* See foot note on page 74.