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relatively large scale would probably have to be undertaken by
the County Council, it was proposed to safeguard their position so
as to ensure that the proposed powers shall not be exercised in
such a way as to embarrass their housing operations.
Reference was made to the communications which have
passed between the riverside Borough Councils and the Committee
on the suggestion of the Conference of Public Authorities
on Thames Floods regarding basement rooms, but in view of the
wider bearing of the present proposals, the County Council asked
that they might be favoured with the views on the matter of the
Standing Joint Committee and of the Borough Councils generally.
The Joint Committee asked for this Council's views on the
matter and were informed that this Council were of opinion that
legislation should be promoted to extend the scope of Part 1 of
the Housing Act, 1925, in its application to London so as to
enable unsatisfactory basement rooms, used as living rooms, to
be deemed so dangerous to health as to be unfit for human
habitation, and consequently to subject them to the provisions
of such Act, in relation to closing orders.
Artificial Cream Act, 1929.
The Council received the following Circular from the
Ministry of Health, and instructed the officers concerned to
carry out the provisions of the new Act:—
Circular 989.
May 24th, 1929.
Sir,—1. I am directed by the Minister of Health to draw the attention of the Food
and Drugs Authority to the Artificial Cream Act, 1929, which will come into
operation on June 1st next. The substance whose sale and manufacture the Act is
designed to regulate is a cream substitute which has hitherto been commonly known
as reconstituted cream, and is usually prepared by emulsifying butter, dried skimmed
milk and water. The definition in Section 6 of the Act is, however, drawn in
sufficiently wide terms to include any article of food resembling cream and containing
nothing but the ingredients of cream.
2. Sub-Section (1) of Section 1 provides that where any substance purporting
to be cream or artificial cream is artificial cream it shall not be sold under a
description or designation including the word "cream" unless that word is immediately
preceded by the word "Artificial." This provision is more specific
than that of Section 2 of the Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act, 1928, and, as the
Authority are no doubt aware, the machinery of that Act has generally been considered
to be inadequate to prevent the sale of artificial cream as cream, since if
due precautions are taken in blending the ingredients of artificial cream an analyst
cannot distinguish it from cream.
3. The new Act contains a number of further provisions for facilitating the
enforcement of the principal requirement. Under Sub-Section (1) of Section 1
receptacles used for conveying artificial cream or for containing it when it is exposed
for sale must be labelled with the words "Artificial Cream" in large and legible
type ; Section 2 requires that with certain specified exception premises where
artificial cream is manufactured or sold must be registered with the Authority;
and Section 5 (2) (b) provides that where an article having the composition of cream
or artificial cream is sold on premises so registered it shall be presumed to be
artificial cream unless the contrary is proved.