VISIT TO WESTMERE FARM.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20115, 30 June 1914, Page 3

VISIT TO WESTMERE FARM.

INSPECTION BY HEALTH SOCIETY

MILKING AND DISTRIBUTING

CONDITIONS

At the invitation of Mr Urquhart Macdonaid, of the Westmere Dairy Company, the executive of the local branch of the Society for the Protection of the Health of Women and Children on Friday visited Mr John Donald's Westmere farms, from which a large proportion of the milk consumed in Wanganui is obtained. Among tliose who journeyed to the farm in the motor cars provided lor the purpose were Mesdames Stevenson (president of th-3 Society), Hope-Gibbons, Reeve, Walker, Comyns, Mason, Powell, Miss Cummins (secretary), Miss Scott (a guest of Mr Maodonald's), Messrs T. Pargeter and Macdonald,

On arrival at the Westmere frarm, the proprietor, Mr John Donald, bade the party welcome, and conducted tnem over the dairying area. The visitors wert1 shown through the cow-shed, where eighteen fine specimens of the Holstein-Friesian type of cattle were bailed up ready for milking. The shed was in hrst-class order, and although it was evident no special preparation had had been made, everything was clean and .sweet-smelling, in a grassy area adjoining the shed, were many other Uolstein-Friesiaii milkers waiting for their turii at the baiis. Mr Domald demonstrated the lisa of a cooler, through which the milk was run alter coming from the cows. The cooler was supplied'with cold water drawn from underground tanks by pipes and kept at «n even temperature. The visitors i passed on, saw a record-breaking con", j and tfoo- imported Hoktein-Freisian ' bull " Wood crest Piet je Pontiae," whose photograph is printed elsewhere. Mr Donald vouchsafed the information that from the twenty-five cows on the farm, about 6501b5. of milk was produced a day. There were other herds managed by him from which supplies were drawn to cope with the demands made by consumers through Mr Mtacdonald, with whom he had a contract. He said lie was sorry the visitors could not inspect other dairy farms than his, in order that they might make comparisons. He said with confidence that he had seen nearly every farm along the coast, but had not eeen anything to approach his flwn. The party were then invited to partako of afternoon tea, ami Mrs Donald (Mr Donald's mother) made them very welcome in a bright cosy room. Acceptable refreshments were dispensed by the hospitable laaj. RUBBISH COLLECTION. . Pric^r to -{.he visitors taking their leave, Mr Pargeter remarked that while all the conditions at the farm were quite satisfactory, he regretted that he was unable to say the same with regard to the state, of some of the backyards in the Borough where the milk was served. The milk jug was frequently left at the back-doors, and in proximity to all descriptions of decaying refuse This tended to deteriorate the quality of the milk, and was likely to be the cause of increased sickness and infantile mortality. There "was no doubt i{ was also the source of infectious disease which would undermine the good woik of the Society. The District Health Officer, Dr. Finch, Mr. Pargeter continued, had interviewed the Mayor and Borough Council in committee, with a view to the establishment of a rubbish collecting system in the Borough. The representations were considered, but the speaker did not know whether the Council would do anything itt-the matter. He asked the Society's cooperation in the endeavour to persuade the Council to discontinue the present unsatisfactory method, and substitute a more sanitary system, maintained by the rates, of collecting refuse. Mr> Stevenson proposed, and it was carried, "That a hearty vote of thanks be extended to Mr Macdonald, and to Mr and Mrs Donald for their kindness and for the profitable period that had been repeat.'* REPLY TO MR. VEITCH. Mr MacdonaM, in response, said that tha object of the visit was to show tho conditions under which the milk was drawn from the cows and treated beio*9 distribution. The speaker referred to r*the formation of the Wanganui Housewives' Union, and the utterances ut that organisation's meeting of Mr W. A. Veitch, M.P. He was sorry Mr Veitch was not present that day. Mr Macdonald described Mr Veitch's statements as having been made at random and as being very absurd. He explained the conditions of the milking. The rise in price was only a temporary one. and t-liore was no doubt it would go down in August. Just now it was a question of supply and demand. So

mention liad Wen made of tl- ; amount of agriculture that was necessary about a dairy farm. Mangokls and green food had to be grown. Oft:en it happened I that the frost attacked the young plants mid caused great expense. Farmers found that it was less trouble and that it paid better to supply the butter factonies than supply milk for consumption. Consequently, the vendors had to offer a higher price in order to induce the farmers to supply them. Mr Macdonald referred to the Dairy Farmers' Association, whose first step was to raise the price of milk. This year the price was raised on vMay Ist. If Mr Veitch and his followers could see how the milk was produced, and found out the cost of its production, they -would not speak as they did. The vendors' men had to be paid a reasonable wage, and then there -were bad debts^ When everything was considered lie believed those present -would agree that the vendors were not charging too high a price. Mr Macdonald said that the Society aimed at quality, and so did he. He endorsed Mr Pargeter's remarks with respect to rubbish collecting, and hoped that something would be done by the Council.

Mrs Stevenson remai'ked that Dr. Truhy King had paid an unexpected vi-.it to the Westmere Farm, and had expressed himself as being exceedingly pleased with wliat he had 6een. Leaving the farm, the Westmere liairv Factory was visited. Here, it was stated, the milk from the farm was received, weighed, put through a cooling process, and canned for distribution in the town. What was left over was manufactured into cheese.

lha party returned to town in good time, and everyone was well pleased with everyone was woll pleased with the tiic period that Jiad been spent.