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( 54 )
believe, a common practice for the retailers of beer to dilute it by
the addition of water, at the same time adding sugar, and sometimes
salt; but in the existing state of the law it is difficult to get the
evidence required to sustain a conviction in such cases, partly because
there is no legally available definition of what the strength and composition
of beer should be, and also because the law does not authorize
the collection of samples for analysis from wholesale dealers, so as to
enable the analyst to compare the article which is professed to be
sold with that which is actually supplied. I have, at the instigation
of your Clerk, Mr. Jones, suggested to the President of the Local
Government Board that, in the Bill now before Parliament for
amending the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, some provision should
be made by which the detection of the adulteration of beer, such as
I have alluded to, might be facilitated.
I have the honour to be,
Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
T. REDWOOD.
17, Bloomsbury Square,
23rd June, 1879.