View report page

257
[1914
In the three latter cases the official samples were served from stocks other
than those from which the informal samples had been supplied, but in the
instance of the milk and butter the change was noted and official samples were
demanded from the original stocks, but refused. In both instances the vendors
were successfully prosecuted for "refusal to serve."
In four instances the sellers were cautioned, and in the other 34 cases
summonses were issued, while of the proceedings which followed 31 were
successful, and three summonses were withdrawn. There was also an additional
prosecution against a milk vendor for "refusing to sell," it having been
previously ascertained by informal sampling that he was selling milk containing
a considerable quantity of added water.
The number of prosecutions, therefore, was 37, which is equivalent to 42.5
per cent. of the total prosecutions under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts for
the year. Similarly, the total amount of fines and costs was £'207 11s. 6d.,
while the sum accruing from the informal testing work was £158 12s., which
includes £74 5s. 6d., the amount awarded on the summonses outstanding at
the time of my last report. On various occasions during the year defendants
to prosecutions under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts have absconded, and
in order to bring the prosecutions to a successful issue considerable time has
had to be spent on enquiries as to their whereabouts; in addition to which
there must be taken into consideration the time spent in the regular collection
and analysis of the series of milk samples referred to in the two cases cited
above. I mention these facts, as the samples tested are not quite so varied as
during 1913. The results obtained are, however, the best I have hitherto had
the pleasure of reporting. The several foods tested were as follows:—
Milk.-—The milk samples were procured for the most part from milkshops
and dairies, but samples were also obtained from customers of suspected dairymen,
after delivery on the round, and a number of samples were taken from
churns in course of delivery to the retailer.
During the year 118 samples were tested, of which number 82 were genuine,
while 36, or 30.5 per cent., were found to be adulterated. Fortunately this
high rate of adulteration is in no way indicative of the general rate for the
borough, but is due to the selective methods of purchase, and the inclusion of
the series of samples purchased in the two cases I have already mentioned.
The majority of the prosecutions under this section were against persons
previously convicted for similar offences. In the case of an itinerant vendor
conducting an extensive business in a poor part of the Borough, and who had
a long list of previous convictions against him, the magistrate passed a
sentence of three months hard labour.