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19. The statement of a Vendor that he has sold " Margarine
or his admission that he has exposed what he believes to be
" Margarine " for sale as " Butter " (that is, without a label, or
improperly labelled), is not sufficient to justify action, it being
necessary that the substance shall be definitely proved to be
" Margarine " by the Public Analyst's Certificate.
20. From the Local Government Board's returns it would
appear that the adulteration of Butter, and the sale of Butter
substitutes as Butter, are very extensively practised.
COFFEE.
15 Samples.
21. The 8 samples reported as adulterated all contained
Chicory in the following proportions at least, viz., 80, 60 (2
samples), 45, 40, 30, 20, and 7 per cent.
22. The 6 first.named samples were bought in Tins, the
contents of which were in each case described by the word
" Coffee," but the fact of admixture with Chicory was stated
also upon the labels. Labelling as a " Mixture " is not to be
regarded as a protection to the Vendors of such preparations.
When the percentage of the adulterant exceeds a certain limit
(to be determined by the discretion of the Magistrate) such a
sale constitutes an offence under the 8th Section of the Sale of
Food and Drugs Act, 1875. The offence is obvious where the
amount of the adulterant exceeds 50 per cent., although this
percentage is not to be taken as the limit.
Tea.
23. The sample returned as being of inferior quality probably
contained some exhausted or inferior leaves, but not in quantity
sufficient to constitute adulteration.
BLACK PEPPER.
7 Samples.
24. The two samples reported as adulterated contained unduly