US EEPOKT OF THE No. 55 



PRECEDENTS IN ONTARIO AS WELL AS ELSEWHERE. 



But sound and unassailable as is this proposition in theory, it is equally sound 

 and unassailable in practice and in precedent. Keference has already been made 

 to the fact that a few municipalities, notably Ottawa and London, have already 

 adopted such a system of inspection with the consent of the dairymen, and it is 

 not necessary to go farther for an illustration of the splendid results to be 

 achieved. AVe have shown also that the principle of civic control of the milk sup- 

 ply is exercised across the line not only by Kochester, Syracuse, New York, Chicago 

 and Detroit, which we visited, but also by practically every other city in the United 

 States. The same principle is cleverly embodied in the model Dairy Bill of Vic- 

 toria Colony, previously mentioned. In this Bill the city and all the farms supply- 

 ing milk thereto are constituted a "milk area/' and an officer is given jurisdiction 

 in that milk area. The following clause will illustrate : 



"The municipal district of Ballarat and Ballarat East together 

 with the whole of the premises of each and every dairy farm or d.airy 

 outside such municipal districts wherever situated from which milk 

 is sold within any of such municipal districts shall constitute a milk 

 area and be called the Ballarat Milk Area." 



But fortunately we need look no farther than the Ontario Statutes for pre- 

 cedents in this matter. Although it has never been put into actual practice, "The 

 Milk, Butter and Cheese Act of 1908" gives towns and cities the right to appoint 

 inspectors' with the approval of the Minister of Agriculture, as the following quo- 

 tation from clauses 13 and 14 will show : 



"Upon the recommendation of the Minister <ff Agriculture, the 

 Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council may appoint one or more persons as 

 inspectors for the enforcing of the provisions of this Act, who shall be 

 known as Dairy Inspectors. The Lieutenant-Governor-in- Council may 

 determine the remuneration to be paid to such inspectors. All dairy 

 inspectors appointed under this Act shall have free access and ad- 

 mission to all cheese factories and creameries and premises upon 

 which milk or cream is offered for sale located within the Province and 

 to all lands adjoining the same, and to the premises of all persons 

 supplying milk or cream to any cheese factory or creamery, or for sale 

 in cities, towns or incorporated villages/' etc. 



In recognition of the same principle and the same necessity, the following 

 clauses from the same Act are of importance: 



"The owners or board of management of any creamery in the 

 Province of Ontario may make such rules and regulations as may be 

 advisable for the due carrying on of the business' of the creamery. 



"The patrons of all creameries may be required to subscribe 

 their names' to such rules and regulations, and the rules and regu- 

 lations shall be binding on the patrons, owners and board of man- 

 agement who have so subscribed/' 



In thus according to the manager of a cheese factory the right to inspect at 

 the source of supply, all quibbles about "municipal rights" are effectively dis- 

 posed of. With the wisdom of the Legislature of 1908 in this regard, we heartily 

 concur; but we believe that it is' equally as wise that cities and towns should have 

 the same authority as managers of cheese factories. The motive which prompted 

 extending this supervision for cheese factories was commerce; the motive which 



