THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1966, 12 June 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1880.

Amongst the Acts consolidated by the Statutes Revision Committee are those with reference to the adulteration of food and drink. Formerly these were divided, the analisation of bread, &c., being provided for under a separate Act, called the Bakers’ and Millers’ Act, whilst another Act dealt with separate articles of food and drink not included in the former. Now, however, it is proposed by the Statutes Revision Committee to legislate by one Act only on all these points, and the result is a draft Bill entitled the Adulteration Prevention Bill. There are five heads dealt with in the proposed Bill, viz., (1) provisions with regard to adulteration generally; (2) adulteration of flour or bread; (3) the manufacture of bread; (4) analysis of food or drugs; and (5) provisions regarding the imposition of penalties, Ac. As regards the general heading very little alteration beyond the consolidation has been made. The Commission suggest that tho words “or capable of being used” should be added to tho definition of articles “ used for food or drink by man,” thus extending tho operation of the clause and preventing ambiguity. Respecting the clauses dealing with the adulteration of bread, a new clause has been introduced, defining the meaning of the word “ corn,” which is made to include grain of every kind and also peas, beans, rice and potatoes. This is also in the direction of making tho wording of the Act clearer, so that there cannot be any quibble as to what is and what is not adulteration by mixing other than the produce of com as defined in the section. The clauses having reference to the manufacture of broad are the same as in the previous Act. As to the fourth division of the statute, hearing in mind the fact that all articles of drink vended come under tho operation of this section, it will at once be seen how important a hearing it has upon tho health and well-being

of the people. Wo had hoped that tho Commission, to whom very large powers of suggesting alterations in the existing law had been given, should have seen their way clearly to suggest a remedy to what wo consider a serious defect in the present law, viz., the bringing into force of tho provisions of the Act. It is still provided that the Inspector of Nuisances or Inspector of Weights and Measures on being required to do so may obtain samples of food, &c., for analyzation. Why it should be considered necessary to retain so cumbrous a machinery as this we do not know. Tho result has proved that as a deterrent the present Act has been a failure. In no ease has a conviction under its provisions been obtained, and that though it is well known that adulteration, and that of a pernicious character, is not uncommon. The fact is that the machinery for obtaining the samples should be as simple as possible. Tho Government license certain persons, both as wholesale and retail dealers in liquor, and it seems to us to be as much tho duty of the Government to seo that no adulteration takes place, as it is to supervise the general conduct of a licensed house. Indeed more so, for the consequences are far more serious. Insanity and crime of all kinds may be traced to tho source of some of the vile compounds vended under the name of liquor. Therefore wo say it should be the duty of the police to exercise supervision by taking samples at any time they might think fit, and it should not bo cast on tho general public, who, nine times out of ten, do not know at which out of several houses they may have visited the poisoned liquor may have been obtained. Tho result of such a system of supervision as we suggest would be to exercise a wholesome restraint over all licensed houses, because they would not know when a visit might bo paid. Unless something of this kind is done, the Act—so far, at least, as this part of it is concerned—will bo practically a dead letter. Tho public health will suffer, and no means will be provided for checking an evil which, so far from decreasing, is likely, with tho growth of population and consequent increase of competition, to assume still larger proportions. We trust to seo some legislation in the direction we have indicated, so that instead of having a roundabout way of getting those samples of drink, it shall bo as much a part of tho police authorities of tho district to take them as to seo that proper accommodation is provided. Any such provision should also include a method of checking the wholesale dealer as well, so as to obviate the manifest unfairness of a publican being made responsible for what is done outside his premises. Until the present method is altered, it appears to us useless to hope that any one guilty of adulteration will meet with his deserts.