§ GENERAL LAURIE (Pembroke and Haverfordwest)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the Report of the public analyst for the borough of Paddington for the quarter ending 24th June 1901, in which it is stated that, on a conviction for adulteration of milk by adding 22 per cent. of water, the magistrate inflicted a fine of 5s.; and, in view of other similar prosecutions by local authorities for adulteration of milk and butter, which have either failed in consequence of the terms of the contract or other such reasons, or have resulted in either only the imposition of costs or modified fines, whether he can, by legislation or by other means, enable the local authorities to enforce the law against adulteration, especially of those articles in constant demand among the humbler classes.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI have not yet received the Report referred to in 188 the Question. I have no authority to intervene in the manner suggested nor does it appear to me that I can undertake to promote legislation on the subject. I may especially point out that it must remain in the discretion of the Magistrates whether a fine should be inflicted in any particular case, and if so what the amount should be.