CONTROL OF IMPORTS. 19 



view to giving effect to section 1 of the sale of food and drugs act, 

 is ( .)9, and section 5 of the butter and margarine act, 1907, collected 

 the following number of samples for examination: Butter, 1,111; 

 condensed and dried milk, 125; fresh and sterilized milk, 10; cream, 

 73; margarine, 510; total, 1,829. 



The chief work of the customs authorities under the sale of food 

 and drugs acts relates to certain prescribed articles of dairy produce 

 for which special provision has been made in the law, and to the 

 examination of tea. In addition, however, an extensive system of 

 inspection of foods at the ports of entry has now been established by 

 regulation made by the Local Government Board under the public 

 health (regulations as to food) act, 1907. In connection with this 

 inspection, foods may be sampled and analyzed independently of the 

 sale of food and drugs acts. The administration of these regulations 

 rests primarily with the port sanitary authorities. 



GENERAL SANITARY INSPECTION. 



Much is done in general sanitary inspection, and the value of the 

 products examined is enormous. In an article on "Food inspection 

 at the ports of entry" in the Journal of the Royal Sanitary Institute, 

 volume 29, page 681 (1908-9), W. F. Dearden, medical health officer 

 at the port of Manchester, says: "The value of foreign foods inspected 

 during 1906 was, in round numbers, assessed at 200,000,000, and 

 that this amount has not reached finality is shown by the fact that in 

 five years the value has increased by about 30,000,000." 



At this point it should be stated that the public health (regulation 

 as to food) act, 1907, includes "the power of making regulations 

 authorizing measures to be taken for the prevention of danger 

 arising to public health from the importation, preparation, storage, 

 and distribution of articles of food or drink, other than drugs or water, 

 intended for sale or human consumption." 



The United Kingdom must depend largely for its butter supply 

 on importations. More or less adulterated butter is met with at 

 the ports, and an effort is being mad^ to remedy this state of affairs. 

 Early in the year 1906 a conference was held at The Hague on the 

 subject, which was attended by the principal chemist of the Govern- 

 ment laboratories and one of the superin tending inspectors of the 

 Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, who conferred with officials of the 

 Netherlands Government. The proper inspection of factories seems 

 to be desirable, and this point is brought out in the reports discuss- 

 ing the work of the customs, as follows: 



Hitherto under the law of the Netherlands the Dutch inspectors have had power 

 to enter creameries, butter factories, and shops and warehouses where butter is stored 

 or sold, but they have no power of entry into margarine factories. 1 Consequently it 



i This defect has now been remedied by recent legislation of the Netherlands Government. 



