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River Wandle Protection. This Bill was promoted by owners of property
in the County of Surrey with the
view of improving the condition of the River Wandie
by conferring powers upon the Surrey County Council
to prevent the abstraction of water, the pollution of the
river by sewage and otherwise, and the removal of
obstructions and nuisances. The Board decided to
petition in favour of the Bill ; which, however, was
dropped owing to the unwillingness of the Surrey
County Council to undertake the duties proposed to be
cast upon it.
sale of Food and Drugs Bill. This Bill has been introduced into the House
of Commons on behalf of the Government
by Mr. Long, President of the Board of Agriculture.
The Board are endeavouring to secure an amendment
of the Bill so as to provide that it should be stated on
all tins of condensed milk what amount of dilution
would produce a milk equivalent to fresh milk ; and
that all tins of condensed skimmed or separated milk
should bear a label stating in plain bold letters that the
article is skimmed or separated milk, and is not suitable
food for infants. The Board also called the attention
of the Government to the case of " Derbyshire v.
Houliston" in which it was decided that in order to
secure the conviction under section 27 of the Adulteration
of Food and Drugs Act, 1875, of a person who
gives a false warranty it is necessary to prove a guilty
knowledge, and as it is generally impossible for the
Local Authority to do this, the Board suggested that a
provision should be inserted in the Bill amending the
kbove-mentioned section of the Act of 1875, by providing
that the proof that the warranty was given without
a guilty knowledge shall rest with the person who gave it.
A deputation consisting of about 100 representatives
of Local Authorities in all parts of the country (at which
the Board were represented by Dr. Busfield and