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93
little as 3 per cent, of the original fat, without any qualification or
any intimation that such results in reality confirmed those of the
Public Analyst, thus allowing the Magistrate to assume that the
Public Analyst was wrong.
"It must also be borne in mind that a further possible cause of
discrepancy arises from the fact that the sample analysed at the
Inland Revenue Laboratory is by no means necessarily identical
with that analysed by the Public Analyst—a circumstance which
appears to be ignored at the Inland Revenue Laboratory.
"In order that the Court may be in full possession of the facts
in such cases, we consider that a statement as to the condition of
the sample when received should appear on the certificate issued
by the officials of the Inland Revenue Laboratory as well as on the
certificate issued by the Public Analyst. It is legally necessary
that a statement on this point should appear in the certificate
issued by the Public Analyst, but any reasons which may be put
forward in favour of the insertion of such a statement apply with
far greater force to the certificates issued by the officials of the
Inland Revenue Laboratory.
" In view of the fact that the Magistrate frequently has before him
three certificates emanating from different quarters, which are based
on analyses of samples purporting to be portions of the same article>
and which are assumed to be of the same composition—some of
these analyses having been carried out on fresh samples and some
on samples when in a state of decomposition—it is obvious that
full information as to the condition of the different samples when
analysed should be before the Court if a proper conclusion is to be
arrived at."
A copy of the report was transmitted to the Local Government
Board with a request that the Board would be good enough to favour
the Council with their views upon it.
Colouring Matter in Milk.—The Council considered the question of
the artificial colouring of milk ; dye is added to conceal the inferior
quality of the milk, and in some cases it is of coal tar origin. The
Council are of opinion that the artificial colouring of milk
should in all cases be prohibited, and they understand that this view
is shared by some of the better-class firms concerned in the trade.
A communication on the subject was sent to the Board of Agriculture
and Fisheries.
Skimmed or Separated Milk.—Suggested Amendment of No. 3 of the
Sale of Milk Regulations, 1901.—The attention of the Council has been