| In view of the recent fine of £3 and costs inflicted by the Wellingborough magistrates upon Mr. John Strachan, of Rushden, for selling adulterated milk, it is interesting to note that at the annual meeting of the Bedfordshire Dairy Farmers' Association it was stated that one of the members had had four summonses for adulterating his milk. Feeling sure that his men had not done this, the farmer in question milked the cows himself, travelled by the same train, and got out at, each station to prevent any tampering with the milk. At one station an inspector took samples and found one adulterated 20 per cent., and another 17. The farmer then asked the inspector to visit his farm, which he did, saw the cows milked, and tasted the milk in the pail, when he found 21 per cent, of added water. Naturally, the association decided to defend its member. Our readers will remember that in the case of Mr. Strachan the analysis showed that the milk was diluted with four per cent, of water. If milk straight from the cow contains 21 percent, of added water, magistrates ought to be very careful before inflicting fines like that one imposed upon Mr. Strachan. As all graziers know, milk varies a great deal in quality accord¬ing to the pasturage on which the cows are fed, and, after the Bedfordshire instance we cannot help feeling that in the case of Mr. Strachan an injustice has been done. Curiously enough, a week or so after Mr. Strachan's conviction, a Kettering vendor was fined £1 and costs for selling milk diluted with eight per cent, of water, an anomaly we fail to understand. |
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