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59
Of the samples sold as butter which were not genuine, 3 were samples of
margarine, 2 contained foreign fats in large amounts and were probably mixtures of
butter and margarine, and 5 contained water in excess of the 16 per cent, standard.
Prosecutions were instituted in 6 instances, and in all of them the defendants were
convicted. As regards those in which proceedings were not taken, in 2 instances
there were small amounts of water in excess of the standard, not sufficient to justify
prosecutions, in 1 case the defendant absconded and could not be traced, and in
1 case the Magistrate refused to grant a summons as he was of opinion that the
fact of the sample containing 17 per cent, of water instead of the standard 16, which is
equivalent to an excess of nearly 6 per cent., was not sufficient to justify a
summons.
The penalties inflicted amounted to £22, or approximately 85 per cent, of the
maximum penalties to which the defendants were liable, as compared with 23 in
1911, 7'9 in 1910, 9*4 in 1909, 163 in 1908, 15 6 in 1907, 12 in 1906, 17 in 1905,
10 in 1904, 18 in 1903 and 17 in 1902. Including the costs, which amounted to
£7 8s. 6d., the amounts defendants were ordered to pay averaged £4 18s. Id., as
compared with £8 Is. lOd. in 1911, £4 18s. in 1910, £4 0s. 9d. in 1909, £4 6s. in 1908,
£4 6s. 7d. in 1907, £5 3s. in 1906, £7 Is. in 1905, £3 Is. in 1904, £4 10s. in 1903
and £4 10s. in 1902.
Eight samples of margarine were taken, the samples being sold in wrappers
not bearing the word " Margarine " legibly stamped thereon as required by the
Margarine Act. Proceedings were taken and convictions obtained in 7 of the cases.
In 1, proceedings were not advised.
The fines amounted to £7 and £4 14s. costs were allowed the Council. The
fines under the Margarine Act amounted to a little over 1 per cent, of the maximum
penalties to which the defendants were liable. Including costs, the amounts paid
by defendants averaged £1 13s. 5d. as compared with £1 16s. Id. in 1911, 15s. in
1910, £1 12s. 6d. in 1909 and £1 4s. 6d. in 1908.
Of 6 samples purchased as coffee, 1 was found to be a mixture of coffee and
chicory. No proceedings were, however, deemed advisable. One of the samples
of pork sausage contained 0 52 per cent, or 36'4 grains per pound of boric acid
as an added preservative. This amount being excessive, proceedings were taken,
and the defendant was fined 10s., with £1 3s. costs allowed the Council. One of
the samples of beef and 2 of the samples of German sausage contained small amounts
of boric acid, in neither case exceeding 9 grains per pound. Five of the samples
of vinegar contained excess of water varying from 3 to 28 per cent, calculated on
the basis of 4 grammes of acetic acid per 100 cubic centimetres as the minimum
for genuine vinegar. It was, however, not thought advisable to take proceedings
in any of the cases.