View report page

185
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
willing, they are poor witnesses at subsequent Police Court proceedings
and break down under cross-examination.
Much the same methods have been adopted in procuring samples
as in previous years, and in many cases where it has been
difficult and impossible to detect fraud in any other way a female
assistant has procured various articles of grocery, etc., at the
shops in question, and, having made herself known to the tradesmen
as a regular customer can then procure samples of butter,
coffee, etc., for analysis, which will be the same article as
"ordinarily" supplied, and this frequently proved to be adullerated.
The art of substituting adulterated for the genuine articles
has reached a very high pitch of efficiency, and the Inspector
reports to me that while he is endeavouring to do his utmost to
secure the conviction of unscrupulous traders, there are many
"suspects" in the Borough, shops where he is morally certain
fraudulent methods are practised. In such cases It becomes necessary
to spend a considerable amount of time and attention, frequently
having to keep such premises under observation for
months. As an example of this I instance the following case
which occurred during the year: "A" is a trader in a good class
neighbourhood of the Borough, and during the last four years the
Inspector has purchased many samples of butter from his shop,
employing a female assistant. On each occasion the sample has
been returned by the Analyst as genuine. During the year, however,
information reached the Inspector from a very reliable source
that a considerable amount of margarine was being substituted
for butter to regular customers at this particular shop. It was
necessary to find a suitable woman living in the neighbourhood
who was able and willing to assist. This, a matter of no inconsiderable
difficulty, accomplished, she was instructed to call three
or four times weekly for various articles, butter included, and she
continued so doing for over two months. The Inspector on the
last occasion accompanied her and took an official sample, with
the result it was found to contain 98 per cent, of margarine.
Another instance of fraud which the Inspector was able to
detect during the year, which also illustrates the "smartness" of
these fraudulent traders, is as follows: "B," a resident at a