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129
UNSOUND FOOD.
The markets have been regularly inspected, and on 11 occasions
the Inspectors have discovered food exposed for sale, which,
in their opinion, was unfit for human consumption, but not in such
a condition as to warrant seizure. The food chiefly comprised fruit,
which was destroyed by the owner at the suggestion of the
Inspector. There have been 13 consignments of unsound food
surrendered for condemnation, including fish, rabbits, meat, milk
and apples.
Certificates relating to the unsound condition of the said commodities,
declaring them to be unfit for human food, are issued to
tradesmen at the time of surrender. Great care is exercised to do
justice to the wholesale dealer, as well as the retail purchaser,
although it is an exceedingly difficult problem. It is alleged that
dishonest retailers, having purchased by sample, will substitute
bad articles for the good and submit them for condemnation, while
on the other hand the wholesale merchant submits a sound sample
and at times supplies an unsound article. It is the practice of the
oilice to take minute details such as time, marks, weights, etc.,
and furnish them on the certificates.
Two seizures of butcher's meat have been effected during the
year and legal proceedings were instituted, convictions being
obtained in each case. One was a consignment of meat delivered
at one of the Feeding Centres of the Corporation, and the other
was a fore-quarter of beef which was deposited in a butcher's meat
safe and intended for the food of man.
DAIRIES AND COWSHEDS.
There are six registered cowsheds and 158 registered dairies
in the Borough. During the year 22 were added to the register.
401 inspections have been made, as compared with 368 for the
previous year, for the purpose of seeing that the provisions of the
Dairies and Cowsheds Regulations have been fulfilled, viz.,
cleansing, limewashing, etc. These premises require constant
supervision to keep them up to a standard of efficiency.
In the cowsheds the greatest nuisance is caused by the nonremoval
of the manure from the sheds. In the dairies it is the
cleanliness of the utensils, etc., that requires attention. In