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319
[1913
tradesman in the vicinity who, while advertising to sell similar commodities at a
considerably cheaper rate, is actually selling an adulterated article and thus
securing a greater percentage of profit than the honest tradesman.
That some of these complaints arise from a feeling of trade jealousy I have
discovered to be a fact; but my investigations have led me to the conclusion that
the greater number are well founded. Perhaps the following instance will illustrate
the matter better than anything else I could say upon the subject.
A is a tradesman who has for some years engaged in the provision trade, and
so far as informal sampling, and the purchase of official samples show, he has
carried on a legitimate business.
On either side of him, at a short distance, B and C are also engaged in the
provision business, and as a decoy cut the prices of several leading commodities to
a vanishing point, but substitute Margarine for Butter. In order to keep his trade
together, A has to meet the competition, but continues to sell pure butter, the
result being (so he assured me) that he was recently carrying on business at a loss.
A number of previous convictions prove that B and C have been engaged in a
fraudulent business for several years, and I have no doubt whatever that were they
to attempt to trade in a legitimate manner at their present prices, they would soon
have to close their shops. Indeed, I have noticed in one instance, that when the
usual methods are suspended, as they are during the pending of a prosecution,
there is a considerable diminution of stock.
It so happened that B and C have been in this condition during the past few
weeks, and A assured me that his takings went up £10 the first week they were so
situated, and to substantiate this statement offered to produce his takings book.
The fines paid, the old order of things is soon resumed and will continue to be until
such time as a crushing penalty is incurred, an event that may take years to happen,
seeing that B in the case above mentioned was fined £3 on the occasion of his filth
conviction.
In spite of the many difficulties, however, informal sampling has in the past
few years brought Nemesis to not a few of the worst offenders, who have since
migrated to the unknown.
During the year I tested and examined 668 samples, of which 543 were found
to be genuine, 36 were sold either with a declaration given verbally or imprinted
upon the wrapper, while 89, or 13.3 per cent, were adulterated, the latter including
repetition samples purchased at the same premises over varying periods, and
samples purchased by young children.
In 40 instances the informal sampling was concluded by the purchase of an
official sample, the latter being submitted to the Public Analyst in the usual
manner, who reported against 36 for prosecution, and 1 sample of Coffee, 1 sample