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the constant supervision that takes place over the food stuffs sold
that there has appeared to be, for some time past, a decided
improvement in the quality of the articles offered for human
consumption.
The exceedingly hot weather of late has been very trying
for those engaged in the sale of meat and fish, especially as in
such temperatures meat may have been slaughtered in the
morning and in an advanced state of decomposition in the evening.
Although inspections have been made of butchers premises, &c.,
as before-mentioned, with six exceptions, nothing during the last
month has been discovered which the Department would have
felt justified in seizing as unfit for human consumption.
Frequent inspections are made of premises at which food is
prepared for sale, especially in two instances, one a manufacturer
of sausages, and another in which pork pies are made. On every
occasion the meat has been found to be in a good and wholesome
condition.
It has been the practice for years past to condemn and
destroy and give a certificate to proprietors of businesses who
purchase food, whether animal or vegetable, from the wholesale
markets, if it is brought to the office within a few hours after the
purchase, and this is generally known amongst the tradesmen,
especially fishmongers, who constantly avail themselves of this
privilege, and are thereby enabled to recover from the wholesale
vendors the amounts paid by them for the articles which have
been destroyed. It will be seen that this arrangement considerably
mimimises the tendency to retail unsound food, which
would result if the retailer had to bear the entire loss.
In cases of diseased meat, it is submitted to my inspection,
and I am further empowered to call in skilled veterinary assistance,
of which I have several times availed myself, with the result of
obtaining convictions and the imposition of heavy fines.