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287
[1910
with the object of deceiving their husbands, so that they may buy
drink with the difference in the cost of the articles. It has also been said
that young children when sent out for butter get margarine in an unstamped
wrapper, and keep the difference in the price for themselves. This is hardly
to be wondered at, for, in the words of the old adage "As the old cock crows,
the young one learns." These facts, however, be they as they may, it is not
strange to find that the offence is looked on by some magistrates as a serious
one, although there is at least one magistrate who hears our cases who thinks
differently, and who rarely inflicts a serious penalty, yet there are others who
do not hesitate to inflict full penalties. There was one remarkable case heard
during the year. The man was summoned for the tenth time since 1895.
His first summons was for milk adulteration, when he was fined 12s. 6d.; the
second was for adding 18 per cent. of water to milk in 1897, which, however,
was withdrawn on production of a warranty. The third offence was the
addition of 12 per cent. of added water to milk, when he was fined £2 and
12s. 6d. costs; the fourth was for selling margarine as butter, when he was
fined £5 and 12s. 6d. costs; the fifth was for selling milk with 4 per cent.
of added water, when he was cautioned; the sixth was for selling margarine
as butter, when he was fined £14 and 14s. 6d. costs.; the seventh time was for
selling milk with 5 per cent. of added water, when he was cautioned ; the eighth
was on the 7th March, when he was cautioned for selling milk containing 5 per
cent. of added water, the ninth was on the 7th September, when he was
fined, for selling margarine as butter, £3 and 12s. 6d. costs, and on
the tenth and last occasion he was ordered to pay 12s. 6d. costs for selling
margarine in an unstamped wrapper. Now if ever there was a case in which
a severe penalty should have been inflicted, it was this, and yet the man had
only to pay the costs, 12s. 6d. Leniency in the circumstances related above
was truly misplaced. There is another magistrate who sometimes hears
Islington cases who apparently does not consider it an offence to sell margarine
in unstamped wrappers, and has indeed nearly said as much on the Bench. Of
course, if magistrates hold these views, the Margarine Act must speedily become
a dead letter. It ought to be stated that the last proceedings against the man
whose long record was given above were taken on information received by the
Medical Officer of Health from the Board of Agriculture, who had been made
acquainted with his fraudulent dealings by the Grocers' Association. Since then
a further complaint was received from the same source and resulted in a prosecution,
when the defendant was fined £5 and 12s. 6d. costs.