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60
He subsequently appointed a firm of merchants in London to act as his
representatives, and they were requested to sort the contents of the cases
under the supervision of an officer of this Authority, and to hand over the
unsound tins for the purpose of destruction.
This they declined to do, alleging that the goods were perfectly sound and
fit for human food.
They were then notified that the unsound goods would he taken before a
Magistrate with a view to having them condemned, and on hearing this, the
owner's representatives consented to have the goods sorted as directed.
The result was that 1,388 tins were found blown and unfit for human
food, and were destroyed in the presence of an Inspector of this Authority.
Application was made by the owner's representatives to be allowed to
return these goods to Austria, but it was felt that foodstuffs which were unsound
and unfit for the food of the inhabitants of this country, were likewise unfit
for the food of the inhabitants of any other country, and furthermore, there
was the possibility of the contents being sterilised, re.tinned, and again exported
to this country, so that the only safe course was to have them destroyed in
this Port.
It has been necessary to keep a careful watch upon tinned foodstuffs
coming into the Port from various places, which appear to have been purchased
at various times at sales in South Africa, Avhen surplus army stores
were disposed of.
These goods do not always arrive direct from South Africa, neither is the
date of their purchase from the Government known, so that whatever their
condition may have been at the time of sale, it is usual, on examination, to
find a quantity unfit for human food.
A point of some interest arose from the fact that these goods were entered
in as " Government Stores." From this description on the bills of entry it
might be inferred that the goods were stores the property of the Government,
and as such, outside the jurisdiction of the Port Sanitary Authority.
Investigation showed, of course, that this was not so, but that the stuff was
private property, having been previously purchased from the Government.
Of this class of goods, on the 7th December 42 tins of sardines were seized,
and on 20th December 1,750 tins of beef essence ; these were all destroyed.