The Express.
London, England, 1859-07-08 00:00:00

BILL:

Mr. SCHOLEFIELD, iu moving the second reading of
W. bill, raid that its object was to authoriee governing banks
ht different districts to appoint public analysts to detect such
offencea, and also to impose certain penalties on parties guilty
of adoltaratiou.

Mr. G. HARDY oppoetd the bill, which, if brought into
operation, would lead to a system of informdione and spy-
inge-out perfectly intolerable, and to the unnecessarily bring-
ing parties before morteiratee when there wee no just ground
of accusation. At present if parties were cheated they had
their remedy by indictment or action. Redden appointing
analysts in different tows., the bill contained a provision
under which the Privy Council were directed to ►ppoint
similar officers to receive and inspect such article' of food ea
might be sent up from the country, whose decision was to
be binding against the parties. Believing the bill would set
meet oppremively and unjustly, he bagged to move as sn
amendment that it be reed a second time that day three
madam.
Mr. CRAWFORD seconded the amendment.

ii;: w. COWP66—...—p-po—itiTtii;)Tiii:ielievriog some
rett2against adalteretioa to be absolutely Bac:mazy.
R. CECIL said if the doctrine of the hon. and
learned member fir Lowninater (Mr. Hardy) was to per
wail, pediment ought not to interfere to prevent a man from
having arsenic mixed with his lozenges. Tea, coffee, auger,
and other necessary article. of imesnmption were adulterated
to such an extent as to effect the comfort and health of the
population, and it W4B quite icoposoible for the poor man to
protect himself from the injariee inflicted upon hint (Hear.)
Mr. WALTER was convinced of the n..eneity of legis-
lating on the subject, sad trusted the bone would consent to
the second reading of the bill. The practice of adalteretka
of food was a device to the country, and there was no
other country in which it was carried to such en extant with
so mach Impunity. He believed there was not an article in
a UMW/ shop unadulterated, exaept perhaps en egg, and
that escaped because no man* had yet been found of opening
It and closing it up again without detection. (Laughter.) if
it was necessary to appoint inspectors of weights and mea-
sures to permit people from being cheated as to quantity, It
was equally acommery to prevent them being cheated as to
quay. (Hear, bear.)
Mr. BRADY supported the bill, which was founded on
the recouiniendation of • select committee appointed to inquire
into the subject, and expreserd hie surprise that one of the
representatives of the great feeding community of the city of
London should object to the passing of a measure, the object
of which was to prohibit the people from being robbed and
po'soned by edulteteation. (Hem, hear.)
Mr. E. JAMES congratulated the hon. member (Mr.
Brady) on having pnstponed his leave of absence, which had
enabled him to be present to advocate this bill. He (Mr.
James) believed the really holiest tradesman could not object
to the hill. It was abetted to Fey that a poor man who bought
• pennyworth of c..Affee, andit more chicory than coffee,
could indict the tradesman. g_ He thought the bill was bided
on a sound principle, and he should give it his hearty
support.
Mr. C the bill
t RultWh. . FORD sathat
e th
objet[ it n
pro bef.... od
was
against
Lars bs
view, bat because he believed that the moans by which that
bjreason
t
of to eat wbe secemplished would cnete more evils them
the mischief it wee istended to remedy. pposedt.
Sir O. C. LEWIS mid he thought every member would
concur in supporting the principle of this hill and every bill
that came recouin.nied by his hon. friend the member for
Birmingham came reomnioended from a good source. But
after having carefully examined the clauses of this bill, with
a einem desire to accede to them, he could not wee to
them. The greet objection he had to the bill was the vague-
seem and geiserality of its provides'. The °fiancee created
were is two branches. The fleet clans, subjected the offender
to • penalty if he sold any article of food or drink in which
there was any Ingredient calculated to *WV the
health of the woos purchasing It. Now, when
they knew the variety of opinions entertained
by medical man se to whet injured health, this
provision, it would be seen, was very vague. There was a
school of persons who maintained that if alcohol wen mixed
with any article—for instance, with water—(a laugh)—it
wen lapuions, and be apprehended that the selling of aka
belie drink would come within that provision. Then the
mead branch of the offence wee this—any n who ehoald
sell or expose fir sale any adul•erated of food or drink,
to the knowledge of the pima so selling it, should be subject