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62
APPENDIX S.
Rag Flock Act, 1911.
Forty samples of Rag Flock were procured under the
provisions of the Rag Flock Act, thirty-four being returned
as within the limit of cleanliness prescribed by the
Regulations made under the Act. The remaining six
samples were above the limit. One of these samples was
"mixed flock," thus being outside the scope of the Act,
and, although being used for exactly similar work as rag
flock is commonly used for, was not required to conform
to any such standard of cleanliness as is required in the
case of rag flock.
In five cases legal proceedings were instituted against
the vendors. Two of the summonses were withdrawn by
consent of the Magistrate upon payment to the Council of
23s. in each case, the defendants' wholesale supply being
at fault owing to inaccurate methods of testing being employed
at the mills of origin; another defendant was fined
£1 with £2 2s. costs in respect of two samples; in another
case the defendant took proceedings against his wholesale
supplier, who was ordered to pay £4 to the defendant and
£5 to the Council.
The drafting of this Act has proved to be most unsatisfactory;
nothing whatever excepting flocks actually and
entirely made from rags comes within its scope, despite the
fact that a very large proportion of flocks other than purely
rag flock used in the upholstery trade reveal extensive