View report page

19
PUBLIC ANALYST'S REPORT.
Gentlemen,
In continuation of my last Annual Report, I am permitted to
put together the results of my labours as presented to you in the
various Quarterly Reports as submitted from 1st April, 1875, to
31st March, 1876.
The number of analyses which I have made is 98 ; or, including
the analyses done in duplicate, 117. In every case of adulteration
the analysis has been repeated, whether the result was to end in
prosecution or no, for it must be remembered by the public, that,
owing to the benevolent construction which you have placed upon
the Act, the prosecutions only represent a second offence.
Milk analysis, as before, occupies the first place.
Out of 72 samples, nine cases were magisterially decided, and
convictions obtained. But these only represent a small number of
actual adulterations, as other 10 received warnings.
Nevertheless, the improvement is great, as may be judged by
adulteration with 44 per cent. of water in April, and with only
23 per cent. in September.
Since the passing of the New Act under which we are now
working, it is more difficult to obtain samples in the streets, as
the vendors at once declare that they are selling milk-and-water.
But I may give a fair illustration of the working of the Act with
reference to Milk.
In the case of No. 23, a warning was given by your Clerk, Mr.
SnirsoN, and the very next day another sample was taken. A
comparison of the two milks is instructive.
Spec. Gr. 1.027 1.033
Total Solids, 8.89 per cent.! 13.20 per cent.!
Water 91.11 86.80
Fat 1.93 3.68
Solids,* not fat 6.96 9.52
100.00 100.00
*Ash 0.68 0.75
Salt in Ash 0.18 0.11
Many of the Milks sold in the District are of first-rate quality,
and quite maintain the standard established by Public Analysts.
Although the proof of abstraction of cream has become more
difficult owing to the evidence of a Public Analyst, I am bound to
say that I have never had such Milks as those in the first year of
my appointment. We have only tried and obtained a conviction
in one case for mixing with water and abstracting the cream, and
as long as a fair standard is observed, I, for one, shall always be
ready to give the benefit of a doubt.