The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1460, 2 June 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1881.

An Act which may be deemed to be almost a dead letter in the Statute Book of New Zealand is the “ Adulteration Prevention Act,* 5 and yet the measure is a most important one, and one which demands much greater attention at the hands of the Government than it has hitherto received; The Acts of 1877 and 1878, were passed hurriedly through the Assembly, only two or three private members who had drafted

the Bills taking the slightest interest

in them. But since the present Government Ims been in office, a Boyal Commission prepared Bills which consolidate the old enactments, and amend defects where they may be discovered. The particular Act to which we refer came into operation at the close of last session, and it is hard to understand why something has not been done to give effect to the provisions of the measure. It is stated in the interpretation clause, that the word “ food includes every article used or capable of being used for food or drink by man.” Respecting adulteration generally, the Act is very explicit, as it states that “ every person who shall wilfully admix with any article of food, any injurious or poisonous ingredient or material to adulterate the same for sale, shall for the first offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding £SO/’ and, “for a second offence be guilty of a misdemeanour, and be imprisoned for a period not exceeding six calendar months, with hard labor.” Persons who order or cause any other person to act as above, will be subjected to the like penalties ; and any other person selling or offering for sale any article of food which he knows to contain any ingredient or material dangerous to the health of any other person eating or drinking such article, shall, on conviction, be liable to a penalty of £2O for each offence. Further on in the Act provision is made for the appointment of Government analysts, by the Governor. The real mistake has been in not appointing these analysts. In fact, the law should be amended so as to make these appointments conpulsory, and not discretionary as they are at present. The subject is a very comprehensive one, and cannot be done justice to within the limits of a short article; but this much may be said, that it analysts are required in any part of the world, they are so in New Zealand, and particularly in Westland. It is simply absurd for the authorities to insist upon it that the holder of a publican’s license shall at certain times re-paint his house, and re-paper his rooms, while no steps are taken to prevent him from vending the veriest poison over the bar-counter. The neglect of the Government in failing to appoint analysts, give the honest hotelkeeper no fair consideration in carrying on his trade. There is not a publican worthy of the name but is anxious, even in his own interest, that the sale of methylated-spirits should be compelled to cease. Nine-tenths of the deaths which occur from what is termed hard drinking are in reality brought about by the absorption into the system of active poisons which have been introduced into the drink such deceased persons have swallowed. We commend this subject to the notice of the Licensing Bench, which will sit shortly, and suggest that if that body would make a recommendation to the Government in favor of the appointment of an analyst for Westland, they would do good service to the community.