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16
SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS.

DAIRIES, COWSHEDS AND MILKSHOPS
The sanitary condition of the cowsheds has been fairly maintained
during the year. The proprietor of one cowshed has sold his stock and
the shed is not now used as such.
The Milk (Special Designations) Order, 1922, came into force on the
1st January, 1923.
This order has the effect of allowing certain milk to be sold under license
as "Certified," "Grade A (Tuberculin tested)," "Grade A," and "Pasteurised."
Certain strict conditions are laid down to be complied with before the licence
is granted, and a sample taken at any time before delivery must not contain
more than a certain number of bacteria per cubic centimetre. To obtain this
the cows must, necessarily, be free from disease and the milk produced and
delivered under strictly hygienic conditions.
At the commencement of the year two dairymen in the district sold
certified milk, but at the end of the year both had ceased to do so. There
is little doubt that the extra charge for milk produced under these conditions
prevents the demand to enable it to be sold in any quantity. I am of
the opinion that any careful dairy farmer, exercising proper care with the
selection and management of his stock and producing his milk in the proper
and ordinarily hygienic manner that the trade demands, can always produce
milk up to Grade A standard. In other words, all milk should be up to Grade
A standard, and with a little extra expense Grade A (Tuberculin tested)
should be produced
I always accompany the Veterinary Surgeon at his quarterly inspections
and also inspect the cowsheds at other intervals.
At the end of the year there were 11 cowkeepers and 10 purveyors of
milk on the register. There are also 16 purveyors delivering milk in the
district who have their businesses in other districts.