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65
The complaints followed the usual pattern. Eight referred to
foreign matter in milk or dirty milk bottles; 7 related to insects or
other material baked into bread or flour confectionery, and no fewer
than 10, to wrapped goods being sold in a mouldy condition.
Of the last mentioned group, six were meat pies. So concerned
were the Committee that in the early summer letters were addressed
to all manufacturers of pies sold in the district, and to retailers,
drawing their attention to the necessity for extreme care in dealing
with these highly perishable commodities. It is found that most
pies bear a code number, either stamped in the substance of the
pastry or imprinted in the wrapper, by which the manufacturer is
able to identify the time and date on which the article was produced.
Manufacturers also issued instructions to retailers as to how the
pies should be handled and giving information as to the maximum
time they may be held in stock. Investigations show that this time
limit is frequently exceeded. The code numbers are not legible
to the purchaser nor to the shop keeper. The Committee has made
representation through the Urban District Council's Association to
the Government Departments concerned, with a view to making the
use of a legible date stamp on pies, etc., obligatory. The Ministry
has not seen fit to accede to the request.
The following prosecutions were instituted:—
Mouldy pork pie—fined £5, plus £10 10s. costs.
Metal washer in bread—fined £20, plus £10 10s. costs.
Mouldy steak and kidney pie—fined £25, plus £15 15s. costs.
Mouldy meat pie—fined £30. plus £21 costs.
Mouldy veal and ham pie—fined £25, plus £15 15s. costs.
Bottled milk containing orange peel—fined £20, plus £5 5s. costs.
Mouldy wrapped loaf—fined £20, plus £3 3s. costs.
Bottled milk containing insects—fined £20, plus £7 15s. costs.
Bottled milk containing old drinking straw—fined £20, plus £5 5s.
costs.
Mouldy pork sausage—fined £50, plus £4 4s. costs.
Mouldy wrapped loaf—fined £10, plus £3 3s. costs.
Mouldy pork pie—fined £20, plus £10 10s. costs.
Maggot in bun—fined £3 3s., plus 10s. costs.
Insect in fruit tart—absolute discharge on payment of £18 18s. costs.