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are sold by shopkeepers, stallholders and barrowmen. Further details about the
Orders made under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, can be obtained from : —
The Public Health Department,
Holborn Town Hall,
197, High Holborn, W.C. 1.
Traders can be prosecuted and fined if they do not carry out these marking Orders.
C. W. HUTT, M.D., D.P.H.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Town Hall,
197, High Holborn, W.C. 1.
December, 1930.
The following notes refer to the general enforcement of the Orders in the Borough: —
All shops selling the foods specified in the Orders have been visited once and a
circular giving an extract of the appropriate Order has been left with the shopkeeper;
re-visits have been made to many of the shops.
Generally speaking there has been no trouble in getting currants, sultanas, raisins,
oat products and tomatoes marked as required.
Foreign eggs, which are marked by the exporter, have been found in a number
of cases to have the mark illegible owing to careless stamping. Letters have been
sent to shopkeepers selling such eggs and in one instance the wholesaler was written
to. Some improvement occurred in consequence; certain of the shopkeepers adopted the
practice of themselves restamping any eggs not legibly marked.
Considerable trouble has been experienced with regard to the marking of apples.
The Medical Officer of Health has personally called the attention of shopkeepers and
stallholders to breaches of this Order and a considerable number of letters have been
sent to shopkeepers on this point drawing their attention to infringements of the
Order.
The greatest offenders at present arc itinerant fruit vendors; the personnel and
pitch vary so much from day to day that it is not easy to keep in touch with them.
Unfortunately they are not required to show the names of the persons responsible and
their addresses on the barrows; information obtained from the stallholders may be
correct or incorrect. Some improvement has, however, occurred of late in respect of
these stallholders.
The following are brief particulars of some typical breaches of the Orders rej>orted during
the year : —
April Imported eggs exposed for sale in a shop not marked or the marking
illegible. Letter sent to importer. Replied that every care taken
to comply with Order; rubber stamp for re-marking the eggs to
be supplied to the retailer.
July. Imported apples exposed for sale in a shop not marked. Letter sent to
shopkeeper. Reply promising to provide more labels and complaining
that apples on street barrows not marked (itinerant
vendors).
do. Imparted apples exposed for sale on a street stall not marked. Itinerant
vendor cautioned.
November. Imported apples exposed for sale on street stall not marked. Letter of
warning sent to street trader.
do. Imported apples exposed for sale in large fruit shop not marked. Nine
batches exposed for sale—only two marked. Letter of warning
sent to shopkeeper.
December. Imported tomatoes on street stall not marked. Copy of short notice sent
to the licensed street trader.
do. Complaint received that imported tomatoes on stalls in a market street
not marked. Special visits paid and copies of short notice left
with stallholders and attention drawn to the requirements of the
Order.