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Provision is also made for the sale, with adequate declaration, of sweetened,
modified or compounded dried milk.
Five samples of various brands of dried milk were obtained, at the latter part
of the year, four were examined and found to comply with the Regulations.
One, a tin of half-cream dried milk, was found to be labelled contrary to the
provisions of the Regulations. On communicating with the retailer and the makers
it was shown that this tin had inadvertently been overlooked when the general
stock was returned to the makers for adjustment of labels on the Regulations
coming into operation. The sale was obviously an error and no further action was
considered necessary.
Margarine.
Applications were received during the year for registration of two wholesale
margarine dealers.
The premises were inspected and the registrations effected. Notifications of
the registrations were forwarded to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries.
The registration of wholesale margarine dealers is required by Section 9 of
the Margarine Act, 1887, as extended by Section 7 of the Sale of Food and Drugs
Act, 1899. Under this Section every wholesale dealer in margarine is required to
keep a register showing the quantity and destination of each consignment and the
register is open to inspection by any officer of the Board of Agriculture.
The Local Authority has no power to refuse registration or to set up any
standard of requirements before effecting such registration.
During the year an enquiry was received from the director of a residential
institution respecting the merits of margarine as a food in place of butter. The
food value of margarine turns on the presence of vitamines. Margarine made from
vegetable oils contains practically no vitamines, whereas oleo margarine does
contain vitamines, but in less quantity than butter. It is found that many
purchasers of this article do not know whether they are getting vegetable or oleo
margarine, or that there is any difference in the food value; moreover, the shop
assistants are also found to be ignorant of whether they are selling vegetable or
oleo margarine. It should be remarked that the common practice of mixing butter
with margarine before sale has the effect of supplying a certain amount of
vitamines.
Bakehouses.
At the end of the year, 1924, there were 29 bakehouses in the Borough of which
21 were factory bakehouses Although these are described as "factories" they are not
large and only supply local needs; a number were formerly workshops and arc now
classified as "factories" owing to the installation of machinery.
During the year, in addition to my inspections, there were 102 inspections of
bike houses. Four notices were served for sanitary defects.