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150
During the last Session of Parliament a
Select Committee of the House of Commons
was engaged in taking evidence upon the
general question of adulteration. It may be
hoped, therefore, that the result of their labours
will be to embody the recommendations of the
Public Analysts and other experts throughout
the Kingdom, and that some attempt will be
made to fix " Standards" for the guidance of
analysts generally.
Another point, of equal importance, is that
some limitation should be imposed upon the
discretion of the magistrates before whom
prosecutions are initiated, with a view of avoiding
in the future discordant decisions upon
evidence which seems, to an ordinary layman, of
equal merit—decisions which bring the administration
of justice into contempt.
I would emphasize this point by again adverting
to the remarkable differences that exist
in the penalties imposed for offences against the
Excise Authorities (who are generally ably
represented by the legal profession), as com-