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Mr. Morgan, not being satisfied with this information,
placed a further question upon the paper on the 27th February,
in the following terms:—
"To ask the Secretary of State for the Home
Department, relative to the return of cases under the
Sale of Food and Drugs and the Margarine Acts, which
have been brought before the Magistrates sitting at the
Wandsworth Police Court during the past year, and to
the very inadequate fines inflicted in the various cases,
whether the Local Government Board have in several
of their annual reports drawn attention to the varying
and insufficient penalties imposed upon offenders under
these Acts, and whether, having regard to the importance
to the Public of the efficient administration of the
Sale of Food and Drugs and Margarine Acts, he will
take such steps as he may deem advisable with a view
to uniformity of practice of the Police Magistrates in
the Metropolis, in dealing with offenders against the
Acts in question."
To this question the Home Secretary gave the following
reply:—
"Yes, sir, my attention has been called to those
passages in the annual reports of the Local Government
Board which comment upon the smallness of the fines
frequently imposed in cases under the Sale of Food and
Drugs Act. I propose to draw the attention of the
Chief Magistrate to this subject and to the complaints
of the Hon. Member, and to request him, in conference
with his brother Magistrates, to arrive, if possible, at
some common understanding with a view to securing
uniformity of practice in the administration of these
Acts."
The Vestry at their meeting on the 12th March, passed a
vote of thanks to Mr. Morgan for the prompt and vigorous
action taken by him in this matter, and congratulated him upon
the very satisfactory reply of the Home Secretary. The Vestry