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milk taken during the last three years, it was found that this particular
milkman had a shop, and he also sent out at least 3 men with milk
barrows and 1 with cans. Thirteen samples of milk had been taken during
the 3 years, 9 of which were purchased in the streets and 4 at the shop;
of those purchased from the men in the street, 1 was certified as
being genuine, 2 as inferior, and 6 as adulterated, and of the four
purchased in the shop, 1 was certified as being genuine, 1 as inferior,
and 2 as adulterated. Three samples of butter were taken during
the same period and found to be genuine.
This milkman was also summoned in 1904 and fined 20s. and 2s.
costs for selling milk from cans not bearing his name and address.
Samples of milk have been taken regularly during the same period
from the contractor who supplies this milkman, and were found to be
genuine and of good quality on each occasion. It is satisfactory to note
that shortly after this inquiry the milkman gave up the business.
Sunday Samples.—Sixty-four samples of milk were taken for analysis
on Sunday mornings; of these six were reported as adulterated, one
contained 2 per cent, of added water, two 3 per cent., one 4 per cent.,
and one 28 per cent., and one had 15 per cent, of the fat abstracted.
Legal Proceedings.— In a considerable proportion of the cases
reported as adulterated, the amount of water added or fat abstracted
was less than 5 per cent.; in such cases, and also where small amounts
of boracic acid were found, cautions were given by the Council. Of the
46 instances in which prosecutions took place, convictions were obtained
in 26, the defendants in the other cases proving warranties from the
persons who had supplied them with the milk. Several others produced
warranties, but failed to give the notice required by law.
Warranties.—The growing custom of giving warranties has been
considered by the Council on many occasions, and communications
have been received from the Councils of other Boroughs on the subject.
The opinion appears to be general that the Sale of Food and Drugs
Acts should be repealed as regards warranties. Communications have
been made on the subject to the Local Government Board and the
Board of Agriculture, and particulars have been furnished them of cases
in which the summons was dismissed by reason of the defendant proving
a warranty. The City Solicitors submitted the following report to the
Council, showing the difficulties contended with from this cause :—
" In a large number of the prosecutions in respect of adulteration
of, or abstraction from, milk, the retailer was protected with a
warranty from the wholesale dealer or farmer, with the result
that he was discharged from the prosecution. There is, of course,
power given by the Acts to proceed against the giver of the false
warranty, but there are difficulties in the way of such proceedings,