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57
berries then appeared to be unsound, they were seized and the owners notified
that they could no longer be used for human food, but that if they could
realise any value for any purpose, other than that of being used for human
food, I was prepared to consider any proposal they might put before me.
Application was made for 160 tons of it to be kiln-dried in London, and
then exported to Holland, written guarantees being given that the same
should not be used for the food of man.
This quantity was released, dried, and exported to Holland. I placed
myself in communication with the Consul-General for the Netherlands, in
London, reporting the whole facts to him, and he arranged for its supervision
after its arrival in Holland.
With regard to the remainder, some 500 tons, it was decided by His
Majesty's Customs that when mixed with an adequate proportion of slaked
lime to their satisfaction, it should be considered as denatured, and could then
be dealt with for manurial purposes. This was accordingly done under the
joint supervision of Officers of His Majesty's Customs and of the Port
Sanitary Authority, and subsequent applications to dispose of the mixture for
manurial purposes were received, and after an enquiry, acceded to.
It became apparent, however, that the persons interesting themselves in this
mixture of lime and coffee were incurring expenses which appeared out
of proportion to the value of the material as manure. Observations were
carefully kept, and the subsequent history is that the whole of it was shipped
to Antwerp where, I have reason to believe, the material was carefully washed
to remove the lime, dried, and afterwards roasted and was probably used for
the purpose of " bulking" with other coffee.
During the year, acquaintance was made with an article known as
"Renovated Butter." In appearance this was quite satisfactory, and
analysis proved it to be genuine butter with a certain amount of free acid, in
no way infringing the Acts. Large quantities of this substance continue to
be imported.