View report page

137
Included under the heading of "butter" there are 65 samples which
were bought in 1907 as "shilling," four of which were returned margarine,
the latter being counted as not genuine samples. Two samples
of milk and water and two of margarine are not included in the table.
It should be observed that frequently several non-genuine samples
of butter are bought at the same shop during the one period of buying.
It also frequently happens that genuine official samples are bought by
an agent who has been supplied with margarine in buying informal
samples. This may be to some extent due to the buyers being nervous,
and flurried when buying officially, but there is the possibility of the
inspector having been seen in the neighbourhood of the shop by the
shopkeeper or his assistants, or by some busybody who promptly
intimated the fact to the shopkeeper. This I know has occurred.
Sometimes at the same shop one person will supply butter when
butter is asked for, while another person will supply margarine. In one
of those shops butter was kept on a shelf in full view of the buyer,
and the margarine was kept under the counter.
But even if the official sample be genuine, there has been some good
done by the purchases, The shopkeeper is made aware of the fact that
he is being looked after, and if it does not stop his dishonesty, it will
cause him to restrain his tendency to that form of trading.
The samples of butter shown in the table have been bought in 20
periods of sampling, arising out of which there have been 33 convictions.
In 11 periods women were employed as buyers, and in nine men
were employed.
One woman engaged on one shop only did not get a bad sample.
Another, who was supplied with margarine at several shops while buying
informally, was supplied with butter when she bought the official
samples. Four of the men were not supplied with any but genuine
samples.
The buyers have to be frequently changed, and it is not easy to find
persons suitable for the work.
There is not much doubt that most, if not all of those convicted have
been guilty of deliberate fraud, carried out with so much caution and
cunning that, but for the informal sampling, it would probably not have
been found out.