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LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. 107
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
The results of the cases in which Police Court proceedings were taken are appended. The
work of the Department is not to be judged by the number of summonses issued and heard,
as by far the greater bulk of the matters requiring departmental intervention are attended to on
informal documents—" written intimations," which are not " notices " at law, or letters—or on
verbal request.
The fines imposed on convictions amounted to £29 5s., and the costs awarded to the
Council to £28 2s. The Police receive fines under the Notification of Births Act, the
remainder are paid into the Council's account. The variations in the total amounts of fines and
costs imposed during the past six years are shown below.
" Health " Cases. " Adulteration " Cases.
£ s. d. £ s. d.
1912 15 8 0 41 19 0
1911 19 5 6 50 9 0
1910 13 15 0 125 8 6
1909 52 6 6 86 6 6
1908 43 10 0 55 17 6
1907 69 19 0 31 16 6
The averages of fines and costs imposed with respect to "adulteration" cases were the lowest
since 1906—by no means a satisfactory feature. Sophistication is too profitable to be checked
until substantial penalties become the invariable rule in all convictions.
1912. 1911. 1909. 1908. 1907.
Average per Fine £0 8 11 £0 13 0 £13 9 £12 3 £0 17 0
conviction Costs 0 8 11 0 14 3 0 12 2 0 13 9 0 12 8
In June of last year the Council directed letters to be sent to the various Departments of
the Government expressing the opinion " that the penalties usually imposed in respect of
offences under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts are not sufficiently heavy to stop the adulteration
of food stuffs." On the same occasion the Council reaffirmed their long-held opinion that
the " warranty provisions " of the Acts ought to be repealed so far as milk is concerned. Owing
to those provisions it is now extremely difficult to secure the fixing of the responsibility for the
adulteration on anyone.