AGY-549 | Metropolitan Milk Board

Full description

Legislation concerning the production, manufacture and distribution of milk, cream, butter and cheese in New South Wales was first consolidated under the Dairies Supervision Act, 1901 (Act No.46, 1901). The Act also required the annual registration of dairymen, milk vendors, dairy premises, milk stores, and factories in the metropolitan area and other designated areas within the State. The Dairy Industry Act, 1915 (Act No.45, 1915) further regulated the manufacture, storage, transit and export of dairy produce.

"The Metropolitan Milk Act, 1929 (Act No.59, 1929) which was received assent on 23 December 1929(1) created the Metropolitan Milk Board which was appointed on 31 January 1930(2), for the regulation and control of the supply and distribution of milk within the metropolitan area. The Board consisted of nine members, of whom five, including the chairman, were appointed by the Governor and four were elected by the producers. Two of the members acted in an advisory capacity, and were not entitled to vote on matters coming before the Board or any committee thereof."(3)

The duties of the Board under the Act were to devise improved methods of distribution, establishing grades of milk and fixing minimum prices to be paid to producers by milk vendors and the prices to be charged by vendors. (4)

The powers of the Board under the Act were ineffective, particularly in relation to the control of prices, and Metropolitan Milk Board was abolished by the Milk Act, 1931 (Act No 59, 1931) 1,which constituted the Milk Board from 1 January 1932.(5)

FOOTNOTES:
(1) New South Wales Government Gazette No.1, 3 January 1930, Vol.1, p.13
(2) New South Wales Government Gazette No.10, 31 January 1930, Vol.1, p.433
(3) The Official Yearbook of New South Wales 1930-31, p.557
(4) ibid
(5) New South Wales Government Gazette No.160, 11 December 1931, Vol.4, p.4119