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40
Merchandise Marks Act, 1926.
During the year a new Order-in-Council was made under the above Act
requiring an indication of origin to be applied to imported butter. The Order came
into force on the 17th June, 1932, and is entitled the " Merchandise Marks
(Imported Goods) No. 1 Order, 1932." A copy of the Order was sent to all butter
retailers in the Borough.
The Orders now in force provide for imported foodstuffs of the following kinds
to be marked to show where they came from: —
1. Fresh Apples.
2. Raw Tomatoes.
3. Eggs (hen or duck eggs in shell).
4. Dried Eggs.
5. Currants, Sultanas and Raisins.
6. Oat Products (oatmeal, rolled oats, oat flour and groats).
7. Honey.
8. Salmon and Sea Trout.
9. Butter.
The total number of inspections made by the Officers appointed under the Act
was 1,466. Of these, 801 related to shops, 622 to licensed street traders and
43 to non-licensed street traders. During the year 82 breaches of the various

In proportion to the inspections made non-licensed street traders showed
themselves to be the greatest offenders against the various Orders, for
four of the breaches found (apples) related to such persons. These itinerant
vendors are the most difficult to supervise; often it is only at long intervals
and irregular times that these vendors are found trading; the personnel,
pitch and round vary from day to day. It would facilitate efficient administration
of the Orders if all such vendors were required to have their names and addresses
exhibited on their barrows.
When the necessary information as to the source of the articles is not visible
owing to the label having fallen down the Inspector calls the attention of the
vendor to the fault, but it is not recorded as a breach.
In all cases where breaches were found in shops or on the barrows of licensed
street traders marking was carried out after either a verbal caution from the
Inspector, or a letter of warning from the Medical Officer of Health. No case of
continued failure to comply with the Orders was found and the question of legal
proceedings being instituted did not therefore arise.