West Coast Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1878

West Coast Times, Issue 2741, 14 January 1878, Page 2

West Coast Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1878

There is trouble in store for more than one or two of New Zealand traders; if the lately passed measure, entitled, " The Sale of Food and Drugs Act," be at all stringently carried out. Though short, containing 1 only sixteen small clauses, it is \t>ry much to the purpose aud possesses ingredients of no trifling moment. It is well known that a very large proportion of the unfortunate lunatics of the Colony have become insane through tlie imbibition of poisonous liquors, vended under various names. This Act, though' late in the day, may at least abate this crying curse. Its provisions cannot be too widely known, not only in order to deter poisoners from continuing their vocation, but also to show the public that now at least there is power given them to protect themselves. As far as we can judge every protection is given, and those who neglect to avail themselves of it have only themselves to blame for any ill consequences that may befall them. The interpretation of the word " food " is to include every article used for food or drink by man, other than drugs. The fourth clause is of such importance that we quote it entire as follows — " Every person who shall wilfully admix, and every person who shall order any other person or persons to admix, with any article of food or drink any injurious or poisonous ingredient or material to adulterate the same for sale, shall for the first offence forfeit and pay a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds, together with the costs attending such conviction, and for the second offence

shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and be imprisoned for a p'eribu Hot exceeding six calendar mouths vvitH liard labor." Tliis shoUld put a stb'p to tb'baccoed and other üb'cto'red beer arid Spirits. The b'exi clsthse provides in li similar way for those who sell adulterated goods of uny kind, and on a second offence beinjr proved the justices or resident _ magis trates are to " cause such offender's iiiimp, place of abode, and b'ffeiice (o bo nui.li-hedj, at the expense of -nic!' offender, in Mich newspaper or in such nt her manner as the said jusricps or magistrates may seem desirable." Tic" is making delinquents pay for th'ir own punishment properly. But the seventh clause will &pecially affect some other traders than the publicans, and it would be we'l f° l> nakny to lay its tenor to heart. I fc provides against fraudulently increasing articles sold in bulk or weight ant^ coffee dealers especially must b'6 ware °f chicory mixtures. i*erha x p's i fc ™ a 7 c we^ t0 qq 11 * 01^ it also in entirety. It says — "Any person wuo sna^ se^ auv article of food or drink or an 7 drug, which shall ha ve been mixed with nny other substance', with intent fraudulently to increase its weight or bulk, and who shall not declare such admixture to any purchaser thereof before delivering the siixxie, and no other, shall be deemed, to, have sold an adulterated article of food, or drink, or drug, as the case may be under this Act." In other words vendors have the privilege of being liable to a fiu« of fifty potl.rids or six mouths imprisonment. We fan6y we hear flic publican who has well diluted his bra'udy telling his customers as they take their nobbier that he has watered it beforehaud, or the grocer informing hh patrous tnat he sells them nothing bur coffee and chicory, or roasted bean flour, in the alleged pure article purchased. Thi-. and other unpleasant confession* must, however, be faced it tra-ieis wish to escape consequences uuder die <uea«ur«. Analysts are fO be appointed by the Governor, notification of tneir it^i dences to be gazetted. The niutli clause provides that Inspectors of Nuisances or of Weights and Measures may be required by any one on payment of a small fee, not less than half h crown, nor more than ten and sixpeuce, to procure samples of food or drink and submit them to the analysts for analysis. In case of these proving to be adulterated, such Inspectors are compelled to lay informations against the vendors, who, on conviction, shall pay all expenses of procedure. The analysts are to report annually to the Government on all results obtained by- analyses, such reports to be laid before Parliament. It will thusbe seen that if the Act be propprly administered adulteration, whether noxious or innocent, must be put an entire stop to, and there is hardly a trade having the disposal of eambles or drinkables of any kind, but must come within the scope of its provisions. Any one can set the law in motion by a small payment against any tradesman he or she may choose to proceed against, and though in some cases this power may be spitefully use«i, on the whole the measure cannot fail to be attended with great public benefit. It will unquestionably warm up a good many, but it will inculcate honest trading wonderfully, and it is to be hoped that it will be strictly carried out. We may add that it. was assented o nn thp Bth of December last, airl is «» thf present time in full force. Ai the Caledonian gathering in Dunedin on New Yeai'sEay, the police obtained samples of the liquors vended by tlu j booth-holders, as an inlroductoiy proceeding. What the results of the analyses were we have not heard, but if the same course be adopted in reference to liquors sold in this district, there will be great weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth amongst som«' publicans, and the general revenue will be materially swelled by the fines that must be inflicted. We presume that the measure will not be allowed to remain a dead letter in Westland, for in no part of the Colony is its operaiiou more needed.

The Tablet learns through a private source thai it is believed that the Eev. Father Kennedy, S.J., of the English Prdyince, has left Etiglariii en route for Dunedin. Tlie rev, g'ehcleinan, it is expeotea, will be joined id Melbourne by some other ihembers of the order, appointed to aid him in cdndiictiug their intended Jesuit College in New Zealand. It is now generally expected that early annouricemeik will be made of Mr Ballance having joined the Ministry as Minister of Lands. — The fact of Mr Hutchison, late Mayor of Wellington, being in the Wairarapa on what is said to be a canvassing tour is accepted as pointing to the certainty of Mr Bunny's appointment as Commissioner of Annuities. Another prbb'able candidate for the proßpectively vacant seat is a Mr Bavton, a resident of tlie district. ' The New Zealand Times understands that the Sun Fire Insurance Company intends to open branches in this Colony. It is quite possible that some of our readers may not have heard of the Eev. Stylenv.n' Herring, Vicar of St. Paul's, Clerkenwell, London. The rev. gentleman does not appear to be one of those who " Efo good by stealth; ' and blush to find it fame," and he or Ms friends have hit upon an ingenious method of bringing his nariie p'roininently before the public. By the Suez mail we received a post-card, on which, under the heading, " An Industrious Clergyman,' is a brief accoiVidof the Rev. Styleman Herring's career. We are informed that he "has, during the post 17 years, visited 30,000 cases among the London poof, transpianted 4000; and persuaded 6000 other emigrants' to make tlie British Colonies their homes, largely assi tod in the ' Clerkenwell Explosion, 'Northflueo,' • Cospatrick,' and ' North Sea Fishing' disasters. besides temperance,' Messrs Mobdy's meetings, open-air and other philanthropise works ; and spent 12 hours each day in endeavoring to do good." It gives one a better opinioa of human nafcnre to know that even one fellow-creatuie has spent 12 hours a day for 17 years in endeavouring to do good, while it is sad to think, that but for the introduction of the postal card, we might never have known the extent or the reverend Styleman's selfsacrifice and philanthropy. — Otago Daily Times.