View report page

87
this business and obtain registration is an indication of the
keen competition among local traders. Of the 354 persons
at present on the register 81 are traders from outside the
borough while another 11 are itinerant vendors who have no
shop but merely store their vehicles in the borough. There
are of course constant changes amongst these traders and
despite frequent interchange of information with neighbouring
boroughs they are in practice difficult to keep under
adequate supervision.
Having given the matter careful consideration, I do not
think that there is very much that the Council itself can do
with regard to the improvement of the milk supplied in the
borough. It would undoubtedly be an advantage if the number
of milk retailers were substantially reduced and that
only responsible persons with really suitable premises were
allowed to be registered. Unfortunately the weak state of
the law does not help the Council very much to achieve this.
The number of samples of milk now taken is well up to the
average in London but might possibly be increased to advantage.
The fundamental remedy is, however, for the Government
to raise the standard laid down in the Sale of Milk
Regulations, 1901, so as to compel the producers and distributors
to organise their business in such a manner as to
ensure that the consumer gets milk of good average quality
as delivered by the cow.