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milk sold at his establishment was sold as milk and water, he would damage
himself more than anyone, and there would be nothing to prevent a rival
starting against him who sold pure milk. A publican is, however, possessed
of a monopoly, and is licensed to sell certain intoxicating drinks which other
people are not allowed to sell. It is surely an implied bargain that he will
sell these drinks, and having obtained his licence on the unwritten understanding
that he will do so, his licence should be taken from him when he
deliberately, although openly, sells adulterated articles. In this connection
Dr. Teed has suggested, and I am quite in accord with his view, that
in any future alteration of the law it would be desirable that it should be
enacted that no licensed vendor of intoxicating drinks should be allowed to
plead a notice or disclosure as a defence if charged with selling diluted or
otherwise adulterated articles.
Those concerned with the administration of the Acts are frequently placed
in a very difficult position with regard to these notices, and hesitate to try
conclusions with powerful trade associations in cases where samples are found
to be adulterated or not up to standard.
REGISTRATION OF WHOLESALE DEALERS IN MARGARINE.
At the end of 1906 there were 46 dealers in margarine, and 15 dealers in
margarine and margarine cheese, on the Register. In September, 1906, a case
was discovered where some wholesale dealers in imported margarine were
handling their goods at a railway goods yard in the City without being registered
as wholesale dealers, as provided in the Margarine Act, 1887, and the
Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899. Their attention having been drawn to
this omission, they at once registered as wholesale dealers in margarine, and
the facts were duly reported to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Another case of a similar description was reported in September, 1904.