Dairy Instruction and hispection. 503 



DAIRY INSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION. 



By R. Croive. 



Shortly after the commencement of the modern co-operative butter 

 factory system in 1888, it was discovered that if the dairying industry 

 was to be placed on a really sound basis, a good system of dairy 

 inspection would have to be adopted. In May, 1894, Mr. Jas. Goldie, 

 the president of the Australian Butter and Cheese Factories Managers' 

 Association, brought the question iuto prominence, and it has been a 

 live subject ever since. At that time it was sought to liave an act 

 passed by Parliament providing for this. Upon enqairy, however, 

 it was found that the necessary machinery was already in existence, 

 the Municipalities having this power under the Health Act to ad- 

 minister a system of inspection which would, if properly carried out, 

 do a good deal towards supplying the want. The efforts of those 

 interested in the production of the highest quality of butter were then 

 concentrated towards getting that machinery into operation, the 

 Warrnambool Shire being one of the first in the State to take action, 

 and for some time afterwards dairies had to be registered annually for 

 a fee of two shillings and sixpence each, which fee was the means of 

 adding to the Council's revenue upwards of £100 a year, still the 

 dairies remained uninspected and but little benefit accrued to the 

 industry. 



The earliest i-eal attempt to apply the supervisional sections of the 

 Act towards the improvement of dairying was made by the Hampden 

 Shire, which, in conjunction with the Camperdown Butter Factory, 

 appointed a Dairy Inspector. The chief object was to improve the 

 conditions under which milk was produced and treated. There is no 

 doubt that much good was done, and that district has benefited greatly 

 in consequence. This was quickly recognised by the neighbouring 

 municipalities, and the Warrnambool and Belfast Shires and Koroit 

 Borough inaugurated a system with equal success, despite the greater 

 difficulties met with in the shape of existing unsuitable premises. Ex- 

 cepting in the cases mentioned, practically no use was made of the 

 power in existence until tlu' appointment of a Board by the Honorable 

 George Graham, M.L.A., Minister of Agriculture, in March, 1900, to 

 enquire into the alleged deterioration of Victorian butter. According 

 to the evidence submitted to the Board by those engaged in the 

 industry, it was soon apparent that a general system of inspection 

 would have to be introduced if the (quality of our product was to be 

 maintained and improved and our position retained on the London 

 and other export markets. 



Bogus reports were circulated regarding the nature of the Board's 

 intentions, and a scare created that caused many municipalities to 

 avail themselves of the powers vested in them under the Health Act. 

 As it was impossible to judge the earnestness of the local bodies at 



