Report of the Dairy Expert. lUo 



In the March number of the Journal I dealt with this subject at 

 some length, since when the matter has received considerable atten- 

 tion. The Department drafted a bill dealing with the subject, and 

 the municipalities in the AVestern District, which were doing good 

 work in this direction, also met and drew u}) a scheme which was 

 considered in conjunction with the de])artment's bill by a committee 

 from those bodies and the executive of the Dairymen's Association. 

 This conjoint scheme was referred to all dairymen interested, and the 

 resulting concentration of their united wisdom is now embodied in a 

 scheme to be submitted to a meeting of the principal people con- 

 nected with the industry to be held in Melbourne at the end of 

 August during Show week. 



Although dairy supervision has been legislated for in the Health 

 Act for 14 years, and its general application has been strongly urged by 

 us for the past 10 years, very little was achieved. Now, however, 

 there a]ipears to be a probability of something being done that will 

 effectually meet the urgent requirements of the case. Proper dairy 

 inspection would do more to raise the quality of Victorian dairy 

 products than anything else that could be conceived. 



Instructional Work. 



As usual butter was inspected prior to export and points allotted 

 according to quality. Whenever a falling off in the standard of any 

 brand was noticed, reports were forwarded immediately to the 

 managers concerned and advice tendered as to remedial measures. 

 If an improvement was not made as the result of our correspondence 

 one or other of the dairy supervisors was sent to make inquiries and 

 personally indicate the reiuedy. Much good was done in this direc- 

 tion and a great deal more could have been effected had our staff been 

 sufficient to cope with the growing requirements of the industry, 

 especially in the export season of the year. Instances might be 

 quoted where factories turning out up to 10 tons of butter per week 

 were lifted by these educational means, from making an inferior 

 butter into turning out a superior article, to the extent of an extra 

 £5 per ton in value. As most of our factories have now been in 

 existence for from 10 to 14 years and are built of wood, the liability 

 to pollution is increasing according to age It is very important 

 that when trouble in the shape of contamination of buildings or plant, 

 or general neglect on the ])art of suppliers occurs that expert advice 

 should be available immediately, as its continuance for even a few 

 months would possibly mean the loss of the price of a new up-to-date 

 factory, and the embarrassment of the company. 



Grading Butter. 



At the commencement of the season some of the butter factories 

 requested the Dejiartment to grade and stamp their ex]K)rt butter as 

 either "Approved for Expoi't, 1st Grade," or " A])proved for Export, 

 2nd Grade," and so on. As some exporters appeared unaware that 

 the Department would undertake to grade in the absence of legis- 



