1922.] Letter to Local Education Authorities. 767 



health. (2) As from 1st January, 1923, milk may not be sold as *' Certified," 

 " Grade A " or " Pasteurised " except in accordance with a licence granted by 

 the Minister of Health or with his authority. The conditions under which 

 licences will be issued will be laid down in an Order of the Minister of Health, 

 which will provide for certain modifications of the system at present in 

 operation for the issue of licences under the Milk Orders. (3) A heavy penalty 

 is imposed upon any person who sells the milk of a cow suffering from 

 tuberculosis of the udder where it is proved that he knew, or could have 

 ascertained by ordinary care, that the cow was suffering from that disease. 



3. Coupled with the public demand for cleaner milk, there is the economic 

 fact that cleaner milk leads to greater consumption. In other words, it is in 

 the best interests of dairy farmers to send out milk in a clean condition. In 

 very many cases, however, the methods by which clean milk can be secured 

 are too little realised by farmers, and can only be inculcated by systematic 

 instruction and demonstration, which falls within the province of Local 

 Education Authorities. 



4. The Ministry realises that many Local Authorities are unwilling to incur 

 substantial additional expenditure at the present time. Although, therefore, 

 the provision of instruction designed to ensure clean milk is of such direct 

 interest to ratepayers that expenditure thereon could be justified even at a time 

 of financial stringency, the Ministry does not wish to press for new appoint- 

 ments of staff or for courses of lectures involving considerable expense. On 

 the other hand, a good deal of valuable work can be done at very little cost, 

 and it is from this point of view that the Ministry trusts that the subject will 

 receive your Authority's earnest consideration. As examples, reference may 

 be made to clean milk competitions and demonstrations. 



5. The initiation of clean milk competitions amongst farmers is a move- 

 ment of some promise. The awards are based on a bacteriological and chemical 

 examination of the milk and an inspection of the equipment and methods in 

 use at the farm. Diplomas are granted to competitors attaining a sufficientlv 

 higb standard, and money prizes may be awarded to the milkers. Successful 

 competitors have every right to expect, and in some instances have already 

 obtained, a higher price for their milk, and the result of the efforts made by 

 the others cannot but be beneficial, particularly as a concise report on his own 

 conditions of production is sent to each competitor. Competitions of this sort 

 have already been held with success in one or two counties, and are contem- 

 plated in others. A leaflet issued by the Bucks County Agricultural Com- 

 mittee on the subject of the competition held by that Authority is enclosed 

 for your information. It will be seen that, apart from the cost of advertising 

 and printing, the competition involved the Authority in very little expense, as 

 the prizes were offered by manufacturers. 



6. Demonstrations in clean milk production can be undertaken without 

 considerable outlay, and afford a productive field for effort. The Ministry's 

 technical advisers have recently given much thought to this question, and 

 have prepared a memorandum for the guidance of Local Authorities thereon. 

 A copy of this memorandum is enclosed, and if, after consideration, your 

 Authority wish to proceed with demonstrations of this nature, copies of the 

 plans referred to in the memorandum will be supplied by this Department at 

 a small charge. 



