PAGES FROM THE PAST                                                     THE DAIRIES OF BROKEN HILL THEIR RISE AND FALL n the beginning there was a semi-desert broken by a low range of hills weathered by millions of years of erosion.                                         To this area came the pioneers and pastoralists followed by the prospectors. These men, the prospectors, brought with them their goats to supply them with    fresh milk and meat.                                                             Some families would have herds of one hundred or more goats and it is probable that they supplied their neighbours with milk at a price of a few pence a pint. From this point the goat herders possibly progressed to a cow if their fortunes improved.              This then was the start.                                                       The earliest reference that could be found to a dairy in the district was in an advertisement in the Silver Age of November 7, 1885 in which a Mr. C.N. Kidman of Black Hill Dam proposed starting a dairy to supply the people of Silverton with milk at nine pence (7c) a quart, or in today's parlance, slightly more than a Litre.                                                                            The "Dairies Supervision Act of Broken Hill" was proclaimed on the first of August, 1889 and notice was sent to the Mayor by the Principle Under-Secretary of N.S.W., Cuthbert Walker, and in January 1890 a register was commenced of people owning cows and it was found that a total of twenty people  between them owned one hundred and twenty-eight cows.                                        The least owned was two cows and one person owned thirty- six cows. Also, two people were registered but had no cows in milk and one vendor, a Mr. Forder, sent large quantities of milk by train from Burra in South Australia.           The above survey was carried out by the Government Medical Officer, Dr. Groves, in November 1889. Most premises inspected by Mr Alker, the health Inspector, were on the outskirts of the town with a few outside of it.                      During December 1890 the Government Medical Officer, Dr. Groves, inspected all dairies and reported to the N.S.W. Government as followed: "Mostly, with two or three exceptions, the milk sheds and utensils are clean but respecting the personal cleanliness of people doing dairy work I regret I cannot report favourable, in fact of only a few can I say I would care to use the milk."                   List of some of the early dairies to service the township to greater or lesser degree:-  Mary Jane Badcock, West Broken Hill. 2 cows, 3 gallons daily.           John Samuel Thorne, Thornesdale, 80, cows 33 in milk  (This is probably   Thorndale Station today with the "es" deleted.)                                             Juliet Rennart,  Waterloo Dairy.                                                          William Nourse,  Acacia Flat, Stephen Creek (“This dairy is not registered   but sends milk to Mrs. Schomberg who is registered.  He has no milk  house, milk is kept in sitting - room adjacent to a bedroom and kitchen.   Sale of milk to cease until milk room is built.")                                   William Dimstone, Alma Dairy, South Broken Hill.                                 Richard Renton, White Leads Dairy. 20 gallons daily.                                   Joseph Rowe, Wolfram St., Railwaytown. 2 cows in milk, 30 gallons         daily (you may wonder what breed of cow could give fifteen gallons a  day. The answer is simple. He imported milk from South Australia.)                 William Chittock Oliver, Cobalt St. Railwaytown. Milk from S.A.                 Forder, Argent Street. 100 gallons daily from S.A.                              Samual Langford, Stephens Creek.                                                  Margaret Spragg, Acacia Vale. 150 cows, 36 in milk (According to the            Inspector this was the best appointed dairy in the district)                    Mary Ann Schomberg, Morgan Street. 4 gallons daily.                             George Moore, Thomas Street. 1 cow  (I presume for personal use).                James H. Craig, West Broken Hill. 25 cows 3 gallons daily.                       Benjamin Wilson, Kaolin Street 25 cows.                                          Issac Shepworth, 15 cows 4 gallons.                                             Dan Shepworth, 11 cows 3 gallons                                                George Kinnery, 4 cows 2 gallons Johanna Hoare, 6 cows 2& a quarter           gallons.                                                                         Johanna Hoare   6 cows 3 gallons.           Catherine Ruddlesford, 10 cows.                                                  John Polmeer, 22 cows 14 gallons                                                Margaret Smith, 7 cows 4 gallons                                                  Samuel Carson, 21 cows 10 gallons                                              Ludwig Schomburg, 15 cows  (not to be confused with Ann Schomberg).               William Henry Dunstan, 10 cows                                                   John Williams, 22 cows 10 gallons                                                Mary Rafferty 4 cows                                                             David Miller, Rockwell Paddock. 35 cows 20 gallons                              Gordon Miller, Rockwell Paddock. 27 cows 20 gallons.                                                                   CONTINUE