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66
served on the defendant on several occasions as well as several
warnings delivered could not be placed as evidence before the
Magistrate. Under the Public Health (Meat) Regulations a penalty
up to £100 could be imposed for such an offence so the effect of
the Court's decision upon the shopkeeper in question may well be
imagined. No case is ever taken to Court unless the offence is wilful
and deliberate."
Following the outbreak of war routine work of food, modified
to meet wartime conditions and legislation, was maintained as far
as possible. To do this it was found necessary to secure the release
of the food inspectors who had been seconded as part-time enforcement
officers under the Food Control Committee.
During 1940 there was an increase in the number of food
complaints, but these complaints were mainly expressions of
dissatisfaction with the kind or quality of the food available and
not with its condition as to soundness. In the majority of cases
the complaints were found to be outside the scope of the department.
Food inspection became increasingly difficult with the extension
of restrictions on the food supply generally. All judgment
of suspected food had to be made with knowledge of the vital
importance of keeping the maximum amount of food available for
human consumption. Consequently, many of the high standards
of quality, the maintenance of which it was once regarded as
essential, had to be considerably reduced, and in some cases the
only criterion that could be used was whether or not consumption
of the food would be free from harmful effects.
Having regard to these circumstances the number of food
complaints received during the year was very low and few of these
proved to be of a serious nature.
Formal seizures of food were necessary on two occasions during
1941, one in respect of diseased meat obtained from a knacker
found on a butcher's premises, and the other concerned food exposed
for sale in a condition which showed that it had been fouled by
rodents. The offender in the former case was fined £25 with £5 5s.
costs and in the latter £5 with £3 3s. costs.
The difficulties and responsibilities attached to the inspection
of food continued to increase with the prolongation of the war
and the consequent restriction on the food supply generally. During
1942 the margin of safety between food fit and unfit for consumption
continued to remain very narrow in order on the one hand to keep
the maximum amount of food available for human consumption
and, on the other, to safeguard the public health. With the same
objects in view a similarly narrow margin of safety was applied
in the wholesale markets, and where there were transport and