342 



PROCEEDINGS OP SECTION B. 

 Table G. 



4.— THE ANALYST AND THE COMMERCE ACT. 



[Abstract.] 

 By W. A. HARGREAVES, M.A., F.I.C. 



The " Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act, 1905," introduces new 

 legislation r specting the supervision and examination of foods, drugs, 

 wearing apparel, etc., with the purpose of protecting honest traders 

 from unfair competition, of protecting the public from dishonest dealers, 

 and of building up a reputation for Australian exports. The essential 

 features of this Act are that merchants shall state what they sell and 

 sell what they state, that, as far as practicable, all goods offered for 

 sale shall be called by their real names, and that whatever descriptions 

 are applied to them shall be true in every particular. This Act applies, 

 however, only to imported and exported goods, and, to make it effective, 

 it needs to be supplemented by State legislation on similar lines. Such 

 legislation wisely administered would be superior to the present kind 

 modelled upon the " Sale of Food and Drvigs Act," although the latter 

 would be enormously increased in value by the addition of a section 

 similar to that contained in " The Fertilisers Act, 1900," of South Aus- 

 tralia, which authorises the publication in the daily newspapers of the 

 particulars contained in the analyst's certificate. 



By the Commerce Act a very great responsibility is placed upon 

 the analyst, which indicates the need of the adoption of standards of 

 food, drugs, &c., and of accuracy of chemical work, and, further, it 

 shows that an association of analysts is almost a necessity. 



With the adoption of State legislation in accord Avith the Commerce 

 Act, the practical work of giving effect to such is a question more for 

 the chemist than for the health officer. It is to the analyst that both 

 producers and public will look for assistance, not only on matters of 

 detail, but, to an increasing extent, on questions of administration. 



