§ MR. PRICE (Norfolk, E.)To ask the; Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been I drawn to a case tried at Norwich Shire-! hall on Saturday, 7th inst., in which a small general shopkeeper was fined £20 for selling baking powder containing 43.68 per cent, of alum; and whether, in view of the statements of the magistrates, he can see his way to remitting a part of this penalty.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers Douglas.) I understand that the heavy penalty was imposed in the first instance for the purpose of putting a stop to the sale on an extensive scale of a baking powder which the magistrates were advised was highly injurious to health. It appears that later the court saw reason to think that in this particular I case a smaller penalty would be sufficient, I and accordingly fixed it at £2 12s., including costs.