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59
Weights and Measures Bill
During 1962, the Public Health Committee considered the provisions
of a new Weights and Measures Bill, which considerably alters and extends
the scope of existing legislation on this subject.
The Public Health Committee is responsible for the enforcement of
the Council's powers under the Food and Drugs Act, and the public
health inspectors purchase samples of spirit at licensed premises in
Westminster in order to detect cases of adulteration.
As a result of experience gained in this connection, the Committee
called attention to the provisions contained in Schedule 4, Part VI,
para. 3, of the Bill, regarding the measurements (viz., one-fourth, onefifth,
or one-sixth of a gill) to be used in connection with the retail sale of
gin, rum, vodka, and whiskey, for consumption on the premises, and
suggested the following amendments:-
(a) the requirement should be extended to include brandy and
other spirits and liqueurs;
(b) opportunity should be taken to limit to one specified quantity
the minimum amount to be sold; and
(c) the statement to be displayed on the licensed premises,
indicating the quantities in which the spirits and other liqueurs are
offered for sale, should be easily readable, and in a conspicuous
position, with possibly a prescribed minimum size of lettering.
Ice Cream (Heat Treatment) Regulations, 1959
During the year, 114 samples of ice cream were submitted for examination
by the methylene blue test, and were classified in the following
provisional grades as recommended by the Ministry of Health:
Grade No. of samples
1 80
2 22
3 1
4 11
It will be noted that twelve samples failed to reach a satisfactory
grading, and of these eleven were placed in the lowest grade.
Of the Grade 4 samples, three were taken from a manufacturer who
has premises in Westminster. Altogether, ten samples were taken from
this manufacturer during the year; four failed to reach a satisfactory
grading, but samples taken later in the year were placed in Grade 1.