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another sample. The Inspector demanded the first sample but
the vendor said he did not change it but had only picked it up to
put in a bag. His wife had previously stated, however, that the
sample was changed because she thought the purchaser had been
given "salt" instead of fresh butter. The Inspector pointed out
that the vendor had deliberately come round and removed the
sample purchased by his agent while in her possession and substituted
a different sample. He was prosecuted, and at the hearing
of the case the magistrate (Mr. Francis) was not satisfied
with the evidence of the Inspector's agent, who suffered from
deafness, and dismissed the case.
A case in which a conviction was obtained and a fine £4 and
14s. 6d. costs was imposed by the magistrate (Mr. de Grey),
was appealed against by the vendor. The sample was purchased
by the Inspector's agent, who asked for butter and paid for that
article, and was reported by the Analyst to contain 52 per cent.
foreign fat. At the first hearing at the Police Court the third
portion was referred to the Government Analyst who certified
"not less than 53 per cent. foreign fat."
The appeal came on for hearing at the Quarter Sessions.
The Appellant endeavoured to show that a mistake had probably
been made by the Inspector and that the butter had by some means
got ruined, as analyst employed by the Appellant certified portion
submitted to him as being "pure butter." The Appellant admitted
in cross-examination that the Inspector had compared the numbers
on each of the three bottles together at time of purchase,
and each bore the same number. Each of the three Analysts
produced his official bottle, the numbers on each being found to
correspond, thus proving that no such error had been made by
the Council's Officer.
The Chairman, Mr. Loveland-Loveland, K.C., in giving
judgment in favour of the Council, ordered the fine and costs to be
paid into Court forthwith, and the costs of the appeal were also
given in favour of the Council.
Sausages.
Fifteen samples of sausages were obtained and submitted to
the Public Analyst. Of the 15 samples taken 7 (i.e., 47 per cent.)
were reported by the Analyst to contain added preservative (i.e.
boric acid) in varying proportions, from 8.3 grains per lb. to
22.435 grains per lb.
With regard to these samples, proceedings were taken in
respect to five of the seven adulterated samples; in the remaining
two the adulteration was considered not large enough to warrant
proceedings being taken.