View report page

144
The increase of adulterated samples of milk taken in course of delivery is
accounted for, in a. great measure, by the discovery that a farmer carrying on
business at Cheshunt was supplying a wholesale London dealer with milk of
an inferior quality. Two samples of this individual's milk was taken on its
arrival at Liverpool Street Station by an evening train, and two further samples
of milk from the same source were taken at the same station on its arrival
early next morning— all these samples were found wanting, and the vendor
was prosecuted and ordered to pay tines amounting to £25 and £2 14s. costs.
In two of the other cases the milk was being delivered by wholesale milk
dealers to their retail customers. The adulteration in one instance was 40 per
cent. fat abstracted, and a fine of £20 and 16s. 6d. costs was inflicted,
this being the defendant's third conviction; and in the other, 24 per cent. of
added water was present, a fine of £20 and £3 3s. costs was imposed, the full
penalty for a first offence, the Magistrate not being satisfied as to the transference
of the business to the defendant by her husband, against whom action
in the first instance was taken; in the other case, the sample was taken as
being delivered by a wholesale firm to a private customer— the firm in question
gave a satisfactory explanation of the occurrence, and no further action
was taken.
The action taken in regard to the 20 samples of milk reported against by
the Public Analyst was as follows:— 17 were proceeded against, and fines
amounting to £103 1s. and £15 17s. 6d. expenses imposed; in two instances
the vendors were cautioned, one defendant proved warranty, and in one no
action was taken.
The amount of individual fines ranged from £20 to 20s. Two persons
escaped on payment of expenses, 12s. 6d. and 17s. 6d. respectively.
BUTTER.
484 samples of butter were taken, of which 7, or 1.4 per cent., were certified
as being adulterated.