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273
[1910
The detection of fraudulent dealers, is, however, not always easy, for they
are up to many tricks and artifices, and of late years have begun to look on
all new customers with suspicion, dreading that they might be inspectors or
inspectors agents. It has, therefore, become necessary, in order to circumvent
such dealers, to resort to two devices, (a) to make the agent a customer for a
time, and (b) to privately examine the goods that have been sold to him until
they have commenced to palm off adulterated articles on him, when an
official sample is purchased. Even then the result is not always although it
is usually, successful, because it may happen that when the sample is purchased
a new assistant or an assistant who did not recognise the agent as a customer
may have served him, and, therefore, given him a pure article; or else for some
unaccountable reason, perhaps a fit of spasmodic honesty, or a pricking of
conscience, if such people possess one, the vendor sells a genuine article,
although for some time previously he had been selling adulterated goods.
Inspector Burrell has, however, been very successful in his operations,
which is proved by the fact that he has succeeded in obtaining not less than
1 adulteration in every 10 samples officially purchased. This matter will
be dealt with later on in the report.
Samples analysed in 1910.—1,204 samples were submitted for
analysis to the Public Analyst, who reported that 1 076 were genuine and 128,
or 10 6 per cent., adulterated. This compares with an average of 11.4 per
cent. in the nineteen years 1891-1909, and must be considered very satisfactory
in view of the difficulties that have arisen in late years in the detection of
dishonest tradesmen. These men, too, are not so numerous as formerly, for
year by year it is found that their numbers are more circumscribed. Indeed, it
may be said with respect to the dealers in dairy produce, milk, butter and its
substitute, margarine, that adulteration, if not altogether confined to Welshmen,
many of whom think that the English working man is fair game for them,
is practised by few other people.
Adulteration is very seldom discovered now in any business of any
size. Indeed, it is practically confined to small shops in poor neighbour
hoods. The inspector has sampled the shops in the main thoroughfares in
vain, for adulterated goods are not to be found in them; unless, indeed, by
chance the wholesale dealers or importers have fraudulently sold foodstuffs
adulterated in some new manner to the retailers, who in such circumstances
would be more sinned against than sinning.