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At the quarterly fire inspections it was found that the fire-fighting equipment provided and the
precautions taken were satisfactory in both lodging houses.
Rent Restrictions Acts.—During the year three disrepair certificates were issued in respect of two
dwelling-houses.
Loans.—One house was inspected in connection with an application to the Council for a loan under
section 4 of the Housing Act, 1949, to enable the applicant to purchase it for his own occupation.
SECTION E.—INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD.
Food and Drugs Analysis.—Samples of 85 different kinds of foodstuffs and 12 varieties of drugs were
taken and analysed under the Food and Drugs Act, 1938. The total number of samples submitted
during 1952 was 673 (61 formal, 612 informal) and these included: milk 81, butter 60, margarine 59,
cooking fat 55, sausages 46, ice-cream 36. The fee paid for analysis was £1 Is. Od. for each milk
sample and £1 15s. Od. for each other sample.
The Public Analyst (Mr. Thomas McLachlan) has submitted the following report on the year's
work :—
" The number of samples adulterated or incorrectly labelled was 26, or 3.86 per cent. The incidence
of adulteration may be classified thus :—
Number of Samples
Examined.
Adulterated
Incorrectly
Labelled
Milk 81 — —
Other Foods 570 25 1
Drugs 22 — —
"An iced cake was examined and found to be badly burnt before icing with the result that most
of the fruit on the outside of the cake and some of the floury material had been charred, creating the
impression that the cake contained sand and grit. Your analyst considered it unfit for sale.
"An apricot flan was submitted showing a green discolouration. The green colour appeared to be
due to a dye contained in what may have been added greengage jam, but as greengage jam should
not be in an apricot flan the sample was reported as adulterated.
"A cake mixture was submitted with the complaint that it had a soapy flavour. Although the sample
made up satisfactorily, the resulting cake possessed a soapy flavour, probably due to the packet
having been stored near some soap. A sample of scone flour was found to be infested with larvae of
a moth and was probably old stock. Some sweetened sponge mixture was reported adulterated as it
contained only 30 per cent, of sugar, whereas sweetened sponge mixture must contain not less than
40 per cent, of sugar.
"A slice of bread contained a dark stain which was found to be a mould growth, probably a mucor.
"Samples of luncheon meat, chicken, ham, egg custard and junket were submitted from a hospital
with the complaint that the foodstuffs left in a refrigerator acquired an oily taste. After examination
your analyst was of the opinion that all the foodstuffs were placed in the refrigerator without covers
and as a result were all contaminating each other.
"A sample of oatmeal was found to be contaminated with weevils.
"The label on a packet of flavoured essence of rennet was considered by your analyst to be misleading
as the print stating that it was junket was very much larger than that stating that it was fruit
flavoured essence of rennet.
"A sample submitted as blackcurrant cordial was found to contain 130 per cent, excess of saccharin
and therefore failed to comply with the requirements of the Soft Drinks Order. A sample submitted
as cherry flavoured cordial with a bottle labelled ' Non-Alcoholic Cherry Flavour Wine ' was 74 per
cent, deficient in sugar, and the print used for the words ' Non-Alcoholic ' was too small.
"A tin of apple puree was found to be old stock and, as a result, the can was badly corroded and
the tin content of the apple puree was 1.2 grains per lb. It was considered by your analyst to be fit
for consumption if used with other fruits, and was reported inferior. It may be mentioned that a
recent report issued by the Metallic Contamination Committee of the Ministry of Food adheres more
or less to the old recommendation that 2 grains per lb. of tin should be permitted in tinned foods.
"A sample of coffee and chicory, stated by a member of the public to have caused illness, was
examined and found to contain 59 per cent, coffee and 41 per cent, chicory. It had a bitter flavour
due to over-roasting, but your analyst personally drank some and felt no ill effect. The sample was
reported as inferior.