L—l2a.

46

[D. T. ROY.

to the evening milking. We can clean the byre in the morning, but not in the evening, as the cows are kept in overnight. I have never seen a byre cleaned twice a day. The byre is always swept down to the grip, and is left there till the morning cleaning. When cattle are in overnight it is impossible to clean it after each milking. Coming to subclause (g) —" No milk-house, &c, wtiaii be within 30 ft. of cowshed," &c.—the cooling-stand being 30 ft. away is what we object to. This seems to infer that the milk must be taken immediately it is milked to a place 30 ft. away to be cooled, not when the milking is completed. This would mean that milkers would have to run across a 30 ft. yard, even in wet weather —a most difficult matter. If the regulation said that the milking should not be within 30 ft. I would not find fault with it. 1 would willingly put up a shed further away, but as I have my premises arranged at present the cooling-room is right against the end of the byre, the ventilation being independent. We have the tank there, and the room has a concrete floor. The cooling is done without the necessity of going from under the one roof—that is, we can get along in any weather. The 30 ft. requirement is really inflicting a hardship. Then, the requirement that no shed where cows are kept shall be within 30 ft. of other farm buildings is a hardship in the south. If the clause is to be enforced in regard to new buildings I should find no fault with it, but at present, especially in the south, you will find that dairy farmers try to have the steading as compact as possible, the stable usually übuttipg on the cow-byre. It is a hardship if wo have to remove a stable, but if it is only to be enforced in the case of new buildings we find no fault with it. A good deal has been said about cooling to the satisfaction of the Inspector. I consider that is an important clause. In a factory supply it is most important, but with the city supply it is imperative. The clause is better than in the old regulations. The old regulation says it should be cooled to 65°, which in many cases was impossible. "Approved by the Inspector" should be satisfactory when there is a clause providing that the Chief Inspector can be appealed to on this point. I would not, find any fault with the regulation. The regulation in regard to the race might be deleted. As to rusty cans, we do not want rusty cans. We do not want milk to come in contact with rust in any way. The regulation must, however, be administered carefully. We stand our cans overnight in a trough of water, and we have rusty water. Under these conditions a clean new can will rapidly show rust. If an Inspector is to find fault with a little rust on the outside oi a can it would inflict a hardship. If it meant having no rust on the inside of cans I would support it. In regard to clause 30, which does not permit a cow or a calf to be within 30 ft. of the byre, 1 cannot see what objection there is to a man having a cow at large adjacent to his own byre. If pigs arc there, find fault with him, by all means. A good many have their water-troughs within 30 ft. of the byre. Are the cows coming for water to be considered at large? This is making a hardship. Clause 33 refers any dispute to the Chief Inspector of Stock. This I am quite satisfied with. My association has suggested at different times that there should be an arbitrator. But my experience of Dairy Inspectors during the last eight years is that they are sufficiently capable and have sufficient discretion not to inflict any hardship. As in the case of cooling and other matters, if there is an opportunity to appeal, I would be quite content with it. 1. Mr. Okey.] Your experience is of the city supply. You have no experience of the back country?—No, not in bush country. I have been in the Catlin's district, where things are verybad, but have not been dairying there. 2. Would you think whitewashing a shed once a year sufficient, in the slack season?—l have not whitewashed more than once a year, and it has always kept sweet and clean. 3. Cleaning the byre once a day would be quite sufficient?— Yes, quite sufficient. 4. Mr. Hogg.] Do you think the requirements should be plainly specified?— Yes. 5. And that would prevent Inspectors being too exacting?—So much would not be left in the Inspectors' hands. 6. Do you think the Inspectors should have a very free hand in carrying out the regulations? —On the side of leniency, the Inspector should be allowed to use discretion—that is, where he sees people are doing their best. 7. Do you know of your own knowledge places where it would be absolutely impossible to carry out the requirements of the regulations in reference to yards and distance between one building and another ?—I do not know any place where the formation of the country would prohibit it. The extent of the dairyman's pocket would in many cases. 8. Have you see farms where the sites were extremely limited, where the land was hilly, and the yards had to be formed on the hillside?— Yes, on the Otago Peninsula. There, when they'want to build a byre, they have to cut a piece out of the hill. 9. Could these regulations be complied with under those circumstances?—ln those circumstances the dairyman would be housing his cattle. There is no occasion for yarding. 10. You referred to home separation. Have you seen any instances where the milk is brought from the bails warm, and immediately separated alongside the dairyman's residence?— Yes. 11. Do you think there is any fault to be found with the process?—No, providing the milk is milked under clean conditions, and the cream thoroughly cooled. There should then be no trouble in the manufacture. 12. And scrupulous cleanliness observed. Under these conditions first-class butter could be manufactured ?—Yes. The system is in vogue in Victoria, where they have climatic conditions worse than in this country. 13. Under these conditions would you consider it necessary to disturb the dairyman and make him place his buildings farther apart?— Where milking is done by machinery and a separator is driven by the same engine it would be a very hard matter to have the separating done 30 ft away.