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149
anything to take exception to. Since the use of coconut oil has
extended in connection with the adulteration of butter, a careful
test for this material has been made, but always with negative
results. In addition to the employment of this oil in the making
of Margarine it has been retailed as a substitute for lard.
In my last Report I referred to the practice of "informal
sampling "which may be employed by Local Authorities to
discover where adulteration is being practised without arousing
the suspicions of the traders; so that where matters are not
found to be satisfactory subsequent samples are obtained under
the formalities of the Act with a view to the exposure and
punishment of the offender. Several informal samples have
been taken during the year, and it is hoped to increase this
number in future years; as where the practice has been more
extensively employed a good deal of concealed adulteration has
been disclosed.
During the year the Milk samples furnished evidence of the
very general practice of "toning down," a large proportion of
the samples containing fat and non-fatty matter very near to
the low legal limits.
One's experience as Public Analyst during the past 15
years has impressed the fact that the fraudulent Milk Vendor is
not deterred from his fraudulent practices by the occasional
imposition of a fine, which is almost invariably quite out of
proportion to the offence. The Milk tradesman who by such
persistent offences demonstrates his unfitness to carry on such
a delicate and important business, should, in my opinion, be
legally prevented from doing so; and not until some such
strong measure is adopted will those who disgrace the
Milk trade by robbing the public with impoverished Milk and
endangering the public health by the sale of exceedingly dirty
Milk be adequately dealt with, and the community protected.
I have before expressed the view that it would be a great
gain to the community if the practice of adding artificial