47^ 



v &RRIAGE OF MILK BY RAIL. 



The Board of Agriculture, having received representations 

 that considerable uncertainty exists as to the practice of rail- 

 way companies in permitting- milk to be consigned by rail in 

 sealed or padlocked cans at what are known as the 

 " reduced " milk rates provided that the tare weight of the 

 cans be stamped upon the outside of the can), consider it 

 desirable to publish the following copy of correspondence 

 which has passed between their Department, the Board of 

 Trade, and the Railway Companies' Association. 



I. 



From Assistant Secretary, Board of Agriculture, to Assistant 

 Secretary [Railway Department), Board of Trade. - 



20th May, 1899. 



Sir, — I am directed by the Board of Agriculture to state,, 

 for the information of the Board of Trade, that, in the course 

 of the proceedings on the Sale of Food and Drug's Bill, it has 

 been represented that considerable hardship arises by reason 

 of the prosecution of milk producers in cases in which milk is 

 proved to have been pure when handed over to a railway 

 company for conveyance to the consignee, but is found upon 

 arrival at the station of destination to have been adulterated. 



The Board are informed that, except in cases in which 

 rates in excess ofthose usually charged for the conveyance of 

 milk are paid, it is the practice of the railway companies to 

 require that milk- churns delivered to them for conveyance 

 by rail should be unlocked, and the consignor is therefore 



able to take any precautions to prevent persons, whether in 

 the employ of the company or not, from having access to or 

 from tampering with the milk while it is in the charge of the 

 company, although he still remains liable to prosecution 

 should the milk be adulterated in transit 



