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257
Sale of Food and Drugs Acts.
Fifty-six samples of food were purchased and submitted to the
Public Analyst for analysis as under:—
Milk, 30, 14 of which were purchased from street vendors.
Butter, 14.
Margarine, 3.
Lard, 3.
Coffee, 2.
Cocoa, 3.
Rice, 1.
Of the 14 samples of butter taken four contained boric acid preservatives
ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 per cent. Of the milks procured one
was certified to be deficient in fat to the extent of 96.6 per cent. A
summons was issued against the vendor and was dismissed with a
caution.
In this case the evidence given before the Court was that on the
8th December milk was sold in Newcastle Street, Cubitt Town, without
declaration at the time of the purchase that it was separated milk. No
notice or placard was displayed on the barrow from which it was sold to
that effect. On the barrow was marked in large letters, " The New
Farmers Milk Supply." On the side of the hand-can engraved in the
metal was marked, "Separated Milk." This could not be seen at the
time of purchase as the milk seller fetched the jug from door of 17,
Newcastle Street, and took it into the street to his barrow, and returned
with the milk. It was pointed out to the Magistrate that had this
lettering on the hand-can been in black or white it could have been seen.
In cross examination for the defence, the person who purchased for the
Inspector admitted having some time previously purchased some milk
from defendant's man at 3d. per quart. It was therefore urged that she
knew the milk to be separated. The Magistrate, in dismissing the case,
warned the defendant, and remarked that when separated milk was sold
the fact should be clearly advertised. Section 11, Sale of Food and Drugs
Act, 1899, does not apply to ordinary separated or skimmed milk. The
Section in question states that every tin or other receptacle containing
condensed, separated, or skimmed milk must bear a label clearly visible
to the purchaser on which the words " machine-skimmed milk" or
" skimmed milk," as the case may require, are printed in large and
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