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44
Bridge Road West, and seized forty-two fowls, which were
submitted to Mr. Oakman, the Medical Officer of Health, on the
following morning, who declared them to be putrid and totally
unfit for human food, and on Monday, the 6th May, they were
taken to the Magistrate at the Wandsworth Police Court, who
ordered them to be destroyed.
Proceedings were taken against Richard Garlic for offering
the fowls for sale, and also for obstructing the Inspector while
endeavouring to seize the same.
The summonses were heard together, and the Solicitor
examined the Sanitary Inspector, the Medical Officer of Health,
and Mr. Ireland, one of the witnesses to the obstruction,
the Inspector proving the seizure and unfitness of the fowls
for food, and the Medical Officer testifying as to their
putrid condition. For the defence a woman was called who
stated that she had purchased ten fowls for 5/-, and a man who
stated that he had purchased six for 3/. Both persons swore
that the fowls were fit to be eaten, that they had eaten them,
and that they were perfectly good. Upon this evidence the
Magistrate stated that he was satisfied that the fowls were fit
to be eaten, and he dismissed the summons for exposing the
fowls for sale, but fined the defendant £1 and 2/- costs
in respect of the obstruction.
The Vestry considering the decision in this case most
unsatisfactory directed that the facts be laid before the Home
Secretary.
The Vestry also considered the extreme danger to which
the Inspector was exposed by the cowardly conduct of the Police
Constable who refused to assist him when called upon to do so
and a communication was addressed to the local police authorities
with the view of ascertaining the name and number of the
constable in question; the Vestry also directed that a report
upon the subject be forwarded to the Commissioner of Police for
the Metropolis with a request that he would cause an investigation
to be made into the whole of the circumstances.