CHESHIRE MILK-PRODUCERS' ACTION 23 



elation not only operates throughout that county, but 

 embraces the whole of the districts of Derbyshire, 

 Shropshire, and North Wales covered by the Chester 

 and Whitchurch Dairy Farmers' Associations, and the 

 East Cheshire and North Derbyshire Farmers' Associa- 

 tion. Founded on lines analogous, generally speaking, 

 to those of the Staffordshire Farmers' Association, it 

 has, like that body, raised the whole tone of the dairy 

 industry in the district in which it operates, and placed 

 it on a greatly improved basis for those directly con- 

 cerned. Not only has the Cheshire Association joined 

 with those of Staffordshire and Derbyshire in establish- 

 ing the joint agency in Manchester, and not only has 

 it secured better and steadier prices generally, but it 

 has also, among other things, opened an inquiry office, 

 which enables the members to obtain information as 

 to the stability or honesty of milk-buyers ; it helps in 

 the collection of what might otherwise become bad 

 debts; it has been able to secure from the railway 

 companies in a number of instances improved arrange- 

 ments for the transit of milk, which are spoken of in 

 the annual report for 1905 as having been of great 

 value to the members in the district concerned, though 

 a strong desire is still expressed for modification of 

 * owner's risk ' conditions ; it has taken successful action 

 in regard to compensation for cows slaughtered on 

 account of being affected with tuberculosis of the 

 udder ; and it has undertaken the defence of members 

 charged with adulteration of milk when, after inquiry, 

 it has found that no fraud has been committed or 

 intended. The membership at the end of 1904 was 

 1,266. 



There are various other combinations of dairy 

 farmers in the country to which reference could be 

 made ; but the examples given, coupled with what I 



