3o6 Work of the Government Laboratory, [aug., 



innocent retailer in order to reach the guilty party, and that the 

 intricate nature of the law relating to warranty may prevent the 

 prosecuting authority from reaching the guilty party altogether. 



The Report of Dr. Thorpe upon the work of the Government 

 Laboratory shows that the number of samples analysed in con- 

 nection with the Board of Agriculture and 

 Analysis of Fisheries in the year ended 31st March, 



^Srnmlnt^ ^^06, was 2,59a Of this number 2,319 

 Laboratory.* were samples of imported dairy produce 

 and margarine taken at the ports by officers 

 of Customs, after consultation with the Board of Agriculture, in 

 accordance with the provisions of Section i of the Sale of Food 

 and Drugs Act, 1899. 



Butter. — Out of 1,875 samples of imported butter, 937 or 50 

 per cent, were found to contain boron preservative and 617 or 33 

 per cent, were found to contain added colouring matter. 



As compared with last year there has been a decrease of 235 

 in the number of samples of butter analysed. This is due to the 

 fact that in revising the arrangements for the year it was decided 

 to sample somewhat less frequently certain classes of butter, to 

 the genuineness of which little suspicion could attach, and to 

 bestow more attention upon butter coming from quarters which 

 previous experience had shown to be concerned in the exporta- 

 tion of butter of doubtful purity. With the accumulation of 

 more analytical data, and with the advantage of other aids not 

 formerly available, it has been found possible, in spite of the 

 absence of legal limits, to detect admixtures of other fats with 

 butter in a considerable number of cases, and to prove the adul- 

 teration to the satisfaction of the magistrates. In some instances 

 not only was the butter adulterated with foreign fat, but the 

 quantity of water in the butter was greater than is allowed by 

 the Sale of Butter Regulations. 



In seventy-one cases where the butter was found to be sophisti- 

 cated the results were submitted to the Board of Customs for con- 

 sideration, with a view to legal proceedings being taken by that 

 Department against the importers. Convictions have, so far, been 

 obtained and penalties imposed in thirteen cases. The remain- 



* Cd, 3032. Price T,d. ■ 



