TH6 JOUHNAfe 



OF 



Tfis department of Hgncurture. 



Vol. VI. Part 6. 8th June, 1908. 



THE MELBOURNE MILK SUPPLY. ^h- v.v 



T. Cherry, M.D., M.S., Director of Agriculture. 



(A Paper read before the Victorian Branch of the British Medical 



Association.) 



The milk supply of Melbourne and the production of milk and manu- 

 facture of milk products, such as butter and cheese, are controlled by the 

 Milk and Dairy Sufervision Act 1905. In addition to this, the sale of 

 milk is also controlled by the provisions of the Health Acts, including the 

 Pure Food Act 1905. Generally speaking, it may be said that the condi- 

 tions of production, including the inspection of the dairy herd, the manage- 

 ment of the farm, and the transport of the milk, are administered by the 

 Department of Agriculture, while the inspection of the milk during delivery 

 and the regulations with regard to adulteration and standards of purity 

 are administered by the Central Board of Health and the local municipali- 

 ties. Any clashing is avoided by the fact that the standards for milk are 

 fixed by the Food Standards Committee, a body appointed to advise the 

 Board of Health and the Minister of Agriculture on such matters, so that 

 uniformity of standard is secured throughout the State.* The Milk and 

 Dairy Supervision Act, with which we are immediately concerned, provides 

 not only for the inspection and control of the industry, but it also comprises 

 a very large measure of technical education for the farmer. The salient 

 features of the Act are as follows: — " Every dairy farm or dairy must 

 obtain a licence annually. A report from a supervisor or inspector setting 

 forth that the conditions of either the dairy farm or dairy are unsatisfactory 

 in character is sufficient to entail the refusal of the licence for the next 

 twelve months. Furthermore, the inspector may at any time prohibit the 

 use of any cow or the sale of milk or other dairy product, and very full 

 powers are given over all animals affected with notifiable diseases." 



As the Act is intended ultimately to embrace the entire State, or a total 

 of about 1,000,000 dairy cattle, it is evident that if the inspection is to be 



* The present standard is— fat 3-,5, non-fattv solids 8-5 : total solids 12. 

 5469. L 



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