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37
THE FOOD SUPPLY
All premises in the Borough where food is sold or prepared for sale are now regulated by
Section 8 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1908. Premises where milk is
sold are required to be kept in accordance with the Dairies, Cowsheds and Milkshops Order, 1885,
and the Regulations made thereunder by the Council. Unsound food is dealt with under Section 47
of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. Proceedings in cases of adulteration are instituted under
the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts.
MILK SUPPLY.
At the end of the year the Register kept by the Council and revised from time to time in
accordance with the requirements of the Milkshops Order, 1885, contained the names of 204 persons
carrying on the trade of purveyors of milk on premises within the Borough.
Under Section 5 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1908, the Council are
authorised to remove from or refuse to enter upon the Register the name of any person proposing
to sell milk on premises which are for any reason unsuitable for the purpose.
Whilst reserving to themselves the right to object to premises on any reasonable grounds, the
Council have by resolution expressed the opinion that the presence in a milkshop of such articles
as paraffin, loose pickles, fish, fresh meat, fruit, vegetables or coals constitutes a source of
contamination, and renders the shop unsuitable for the sale of milk.
During the year 34 applications for registration were received from persons who proposed to
sell milk. Of this number 33 were granted, after the premises in respect of which the applications
had been made had been inspected and found suitable for the sale of milk. One application from
the occupier of a dairy in which cream and butter were stored in a basement room containing a
drain inlet and a w.c. was, in the first instance, refused. In this instance the applicant had also
committed the technical offence of occupying as a dairy premises not previously used for the
purpose without giving the month's notice to the Council which is required by the Milkshops
Order, 1885. The Committee were satisfied that there had been no intention to contravene the
Order, and the applicant was subsequently registered after giving a written undertaking that milk,
cream or other foods would not be stored in the basement of the premises. Proceedings were
instituted against the occupier of a small general shop in North Kensington, who was alleged to be
selling milk regularly on Sundays although he had not been registered by the Council as a milk
purveyor. Milk was in fact sold on a particular Sunday, but the purchaser, a boy who was anxious
to bring the mission entrusted to him to a successful issue, stated that the milk was required for
his sick mother, whereas it was proved in Court that his mother was in good health. In these
circumstances there was no evidence before the Court of the habitual sale of milk, and the
summons was adjourned sine die. In no case was it found necessary to remove from the register
the name of any person on the grounds that milk was being sold on unsuitable premises. The
alterations made in the Register of Milk Purveyors during the year 1912 are summarised in the
following table:—