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53
Another matter which should engage the attention
of our legislators is the manner in which foodstuffs
of all kinds are exposed for sale on open stalls and open
shop fronts. One has only to consider the way foodstuffs
are sold on the market stalls in the North End
Road to realise the potential danger of such procedure.
Under our present law it is impossible to deal effectively
with such exposure.
Again, attention should be directed to places where
food is kept prior to sale or exposure for sale. I have,
during the year, come across some bad instances of
this kind. Costers have been found keeping food
and even fruit in sculleries, stables and filthy stores.
The Bill recently presented to Parliament, requiring
the registration of costers, market stalls and food
storage places, is badly required in the form of an Act
of Parliament.
Milk.—During the year 588 samples of milk were
purchased for analysis; 27, or 4.5 per cent. were
reported below the standard adopted by the Ministry
of Agriculture. Proceedings were instituted by the
Council in 20 cases. Particulars of these proceedings
will be found in the table on page 61.
There are at present 90 dairymen on the Register
of Milk Sellers. The introduction of the Milk and
Dairies (Amendment) Act, 1922, which came into
force on January 1st, 1923, made it opportune to revise
very thoroughly our register of milk sellers. Considerably
more stringent requirements were demanded
in the standard of cleanliness and general suitability
of such places. As a result no less than 30 milk sellers
voluntarily gave up their registration, and 2 were
compulsorily removed from the register. Most of
these were cases of small general stores, where articles
were sold such as paraffin oil, meat, vegetables, etc.,
which are not desirable shop-mates for milk. The
Public Health Committee drew up a list of prohibited
articles, and any milk-shop selling such articles was
given the option of giving up the sale of milk or the
sale of the prohibited article.