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percentage of the adulterated samples of milk in which it was not thought advisable
to institute legal proceedings was 57.7, which is below the average.
In the 5 cases in which convictions were obtained the aggregate of fines and
costs amounted to £10 15s. 6d., and the average amount paid by the defendants
was £2 3s. 1d. The fines amounted to 3T per cent. of the maximum which might
have been inflicted.
Sixty-eight samples of butter were taken, 64 of which were returned as genuine.
Forty-nine were reported as containing boric acid not exceeding 0'5 per cent. in
each. In one instance where margarine was substituted for butter legal proceedings
were instituted, and the defendant was fined £5. Another summons against this
defendant was withdrawn. In two instances water was present in excess of the legal
maximum, and proceedings were instituted. In one case the defendant was fined
£1 with £1 Is. costs. In the other the summons was dismissed, a warranty being
proved. In a third instance in which water was present in excess of the legal
maximum to a slight extent only, no action was taken.
Fifty-one samples of margarine were taken, 1 of which contained water in
excess of the legal maximum. Proceedings against the vendor were taken in this
case, the summons being withdrawn upon payment of £2 2s. costs to the Council.
Forty-nine of the samples contained boric acid not exceeding 0 .5 per cent. in each.
Of the 64 samples of vinegar taken, 9 contained excessive water. Proceedings
were taken in 2 instances. In 1 case, where the excess was 21 per cent., the defendant
was fined £3. In the other, where the excess was 10 per cent., a warranty was proved,
and the summons was dismissed.
One sample of zinc ointment was found to be deficient in zinc oxide to the
extent of 7.3 per cent. Legal proceedings were instituted and the defendant was
fined £2.
One sample of beef suet was found to contain 4.3 per cent. water and 19.7 per
cent. ground rice, but no action was deemed advisable.
Two samples of non-alcoholic wine were found to contain small amounts of
salicylic acid. Proceedings were not thought advisable.
Nine samples of tinned food which were taken contained variable amounts of
tin ranging from 0.259 to 2.31 grains per pound. No action was taken.
Two samples of borax were found to contain arsenic. In 1 arsenic was present
to the extent of 75 parts per million, the other to the extent of 35 parts per million.
No action was considered advisable.
Four samples of medicine (prescriptions) were taken, and 2 samples of ointment
(prescriptions). All were found to be correctly prepared according to prescription.