H.—22

10

Three samples of lime-water were deficient .in lime, and in six instances ordinary tap-water had been used instead of distilled water as directed in the Pharmacopoeia. Methylated spirit was found in one tincture of iodine, and there was evidence in numerous other cases that the tincture had been careleesly prepared. All the sausages sent in contained an excess of bread. One parcel of whitebait was preserval iwd with boric acid. Milk, There were 1,873 samples received under the Sale of Food and Drills Act during the year. With the exception of one or two check samples from Auckland and Christchureli, these came from Wellington Province, Hawke's Hay, Taranaki, Maryborough, Nelson, and Westland. Wellington City. —The City Council Milk Inspector has been regular in the performance of his duties, and is responsible for nearly all of the 1,636 samples obtained from city suppliers during the yea) , . Of these eleven were watered, nineteen had been partly skimmed, one was delicient m non-fatty solids, two contained excessive amounts of dirt, twenty-five were decidedly stale, and nineteen were slightly under I lie standard. The highest amount of added water found was 20 per cent. In the worst case of skimming 48 per cent, of the fat had been removed. Other Districts.— The results for other districts are summarized in the following table. Two Samples from Wanganui were especially bad. as they contained 32 and 40 pel , cent, of added water respectively.

Plunket Nurses. —- -The Laboratory continues to assist I'lunkei nurses by making analyses of milk when required. Tweilty-riilie samples were reported on during' the year. Special Investigation. —At the requesi of tin- Wellington City Milk Depot an investigation was made on the effect that a clarifier which it was proposed to install would have on the purity 01 the milk-supply. Samples of clarified milk were taken over a period of live days, and compared with samples of the same milk not clarified. The results indicated that clarification merely removed visible dirt, without affecting any improvement in the bacterial content or keepingproperties of the milk. In some cases the tested milk was worse from a bacterial standpoint, due no doubt to stimulation of activity of the bacteria by breaking up of clumps of bacteria by the machine. O'NlUli DIU'AKTUENTM. Several coals and boiler-waters were analysed for the Railways Department. A number of different brands of prepared rooling-iiiaterial were subjected to various tests for the Public Works Department, Some gum-samples and guni-beariug peats were examined for the Kauri-gum Commissioner. Rbbbaboh, Play, —Work lias been commenced on the physical and chemical properties of New Zealand clays. Careful analyses are made of the samples; they are subjected to firing tests, purification by washing is tried if necessary, and experiments with various mixtures are made in certain cases. The firing test has been added to the routine in examining all clays when the sample received is sufficiently large. It is hoped at a later date to issue a report covering a number of representative clays. Coed. —Some progress lias been made in determining the ignition-points of New Zealand coals. Casein. —An investigation was made of the conditions governing the preparation of casein from buttermilk, to furnish evidence for the Department of Agriculture in a disputed patent ease. As a result the validity of the patent was upheld. REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OS THE EXPLOSIVE AND DANGEROUS GOODS ACT, 1908, FROM Ist JULY, I!)l<), TO 30th JUNK, l<l2o. The work of the Explosives Branch of the Laboratory has been greatly curtailed during the war period, and the regulations under Hie Act which were gazetted in July, 1914, were enforced only as far as they affected the sale and storage of explosives by merchants and storekeepers. This was rendered necessary owing to the fact that for the greater par! of the linn , only one officer was available , for both clerical and inspection work. Now that conditions are returning to normal it is intended to proceed with the licensing of magazines at mines, quarries, and other places where explosives are used, and it is hoped that the end of the coming year will see this work practically completed.

Locality. *™P|™ Seriously Hkhnmi'd. Slightly Watered. below Locality. Standard. 1 I Nelson .. ■ .. I 'a tea .. I Vtone.. I .. Htiutford Taranaki Hospital .. - ' .. District I .. Waipawa !i VVanganni ' .. Waverley Westport Woodville 1 Sampler received. Seriously skimineil. Watered. Slightly below Standard. Blenlioim 0 ('art erton 2 D&nnevirke .. 24 l)ennist<ni Kastbourne .. :i Featherston .. s Foxton .. I Giabome .. ; 57 Greytown .. !) Hastings .. 8 Hutt (Lower) Johneonville .. ' ;i Marton Mastorton 3 Napier .. 25 12 I 14 2 12 9 8 2 5 4 4 ■> 2 1 2 Totals, 1919 2IS4 14 8 1 Totals; lois C(2 0 16 18 I "