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69
FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS.
The above Acts are administered by the County, and
Mr. H. C. Card, the Chief Inspector, has kindly given
me a return of the number of samples taken, with the
results, which I herewith append :—
1912.
The following samples were purchased and submitted to
analysis :—
Milk, 109 samples; Butter, 68 samples; Lard, 2
samples; Jam, 3 samples; and 1 sample each of Pepper,
Margarine, Cocoa, Coffee, making a total of 186 samples.
Of these, four of the milk samples were adulterated, and
proceedings were taken ; one case was dismissed, one was
withdrawn, a fine of £2 and costs 9s. inflicted in one case,
and a fine of £1 and costs 9s. in the other.
Three of the butter samples were certified as being
margarine. Two of these samples were taken informally,
and the other resulted in a prosecution and a fine of £2 and
costs 9s. One of the jam samples was certified to contain
apple pulp, and a prosecution resulted in the imposition of
costs £2 16s. 6d., no conviction being recorded.
WATER SUPPLY.
The district is broadly divided by the Cranbrook Road
into two areas of water supply. The portion to the West
and North of that road is supplied by the Metropolitan
Water Board, and the remaining portion by the South Essex
Waterworks Company. Some of the outlying portions are
supplied by shallow wells, and these keep diminishing in
number as the mains of the Water Companies are extended.
In this way numerous shallow wells have been closed during
the course of the last few years.