§ 30. Mr. HUME-WILLIAMSasked how many vendors of cream have been convicted since August, 1909, of selling cream with an added preservative; and what, in each case, was the amount of preservative held to be illegal?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELFor the period 1909–12 inclusive legal proceedings in respect of cream containing added preservative resulted in convictions in seventy-four cases. Of the seventy-four samples of cream in question, twenty-one contained less than 25 per cent. of boric acid, thirty-nine samples contained between 25 and 5 per cent., and fourteen between 5 and 75 per cent. Complete information is not available for any later period.
§ 31 and 32. Mr. HUME-WILLIAMSasked the President of the Local Government Board (1) whether his attention has been called to the confusion existing in the dairy trade owing to the fact that no Regulations have been made defining the amount of preservative which may legally be added to cream before it is sold; whether it is his intention to issue such Regulations; and, if so, when; and (2) whether his attention has been called to the fact that on 11th August, 1909, Dr. J. M. Hamill, one of the medical inspectors of his Department, made a report in which he recommended that 17½ grains to the pound of boracic acid might without injury to health be added to cream during the cooler months of the year, and 28 grains to the pound during the months from May to October; and whether he will take that report as the basis for Regulations to be issued with reference to the use of preservatives in cream?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI have received representations to the effect that an alteration of the Regulations is desirable, and the matter is receiving my consideration. As at present advised, I am not satisfied that an official recognition of a limit of preservative is desirable.