View report page

16
defence head over heels, but for some reason or other the
defendant was allowed to leave the witness box without being
cross-examined on the number of purchases, etc., that had been
made, which went to show that the defence set up was ludicrous.
As a result our summons was dismissed and the servant fined £5,
but as I recovered the £5 for the Vestry I do not know that much
harm was done. I did not, however, let the matter rest there. I
continued having purchases made at his two shops, and having
fully satisfied myself as to the nature of the business done I got
Inspectors Richards and Mills, each with an agent, to make a
purchase of "1s. 2d" simultaneously at each of his two shops.
The "1s. 2d.," as I fully expected from the previous purchases,
proved to be margarine, and three summonses were issued. The
defendant this time summoning his assistants in both shops had to
again enter the witness box on the day of hearing, but on this
occasion he succeeded in getting himself fined £10 on each
summons, a total of £30, whilst the summonses against his two
girls wereof course dismissed.
HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMITTEE ON FOOD
PRESERVATIVES.
In addition to the above samples, taken in the ordinary way,
your Committee was asked to have a number of samples of food
taken and forwarded to the Government Laboratory for analysis
by the Government's Analysts, on behalf of and for the information
of the Committee appointed by the House of Commons to
inquire into the materials used for colouring and preserving food
of different kinds. You acquiesced, and I was directed to render
every assistance possible in the matter, and since the 6th of August
I have from time to time had purchased and delivered to the
Government Officers 69 samples of food. These were purchased
on various dates and in various parts of the parish, and consisted
of milk 8, German sausages 7, garlic sausages 1, pork sausages,
1, brawn 3, butter 6, tins of potted meat 4, fresh herrings and
haddocks 2, soles 1, cream (potted) 3, corned beef 1, mackerel, hake
and plaice 3, separated milk 1, cheese 3, margarine 2, bacon
(cooked and uncooked) 7, lard 1, sugar 3, lime juice 2, lemon
squash 1, jam 3, pork pies 1, beef jelly in bottle 1, fruit jelly in
tablet 1, soup in bottle 1, meat juice extract 1, and soup in tin 1.
Inspector Richards assisted me in this matter, and your Committee
will be pleased to know that the services you allowed
us to render have been appreciated. None of the results of the
analyses have been made known, and I assume that we shall have
to wait for any further information until the Committee's report
is published.