198 ADMINISTRATIVE SECTION 



strict, hence the necessity for some such legislation as 

 is proposed by the Milk Bill, recently before Parlia- 

 ment, which would give greater powers and responsi- 

 bilities to County Councils. It would, I think, be 

 well, at all events pending a sufficient time for the 

 County Councils to become familiar with the extent 

 of the proposed new duties, that the powers at present 

 held by the cities should not be taken from them. 

 Finally, in this connection I may point out that in 

 contracts for the supply of milk to Liverpool Muni- 

 cipal Institutions, there are clauses inserted which 

 require that the milk shall be pure and genuine, 

 delivered within four hours of milking, from cows 

 which have passed the inspection of officers of the 

 Corporation, that the premises shall be open to visits 

 from the Corporation officials, and, in addition, that 

 the contractor himself shall periodically visit the farms 

 from which the milk comes, and furnish the medical 

 officer with a veterinary certificate as to the health of 

 the cattle, and fitness of the premises. 



It seems hardly necessary to mention that the 

 facilities for keeping cows in a healthy condition in 

 the town are less favourable than those for keeping 

 cows in the country. Obviously, the fresh, sweet open 

 country, the easier grazing, the lower rents, the purer 

 air, all of which tend to maintain the necessary health 

 of the animals, militate strongly in favour of the 

 country, and the city cowkeeper is to this extent 

 handicapped in the competition. 



The City Medical Officer of Health, however, has 

 found the city cowkeeper fully alive to the position ; 

 briefly, the city cowkeeper fifteen or twenty years ago 

 commenced to put his house in thorough order, and 

 from then onwards has done his best to maintain a 

 high standard in regard to structure, lighting, ventil- 

 ating, water supply, and cleanliness of administration, 

 into the details of which I will not enter. 



Assuming the healthy animal, and clean sur- 



