“If any person have cause to suspect that any miller[[10]] who grinds, dresses, or bolts any grain for toll or reward, or manufactures any flour for sale, or that any baker mixes up with his flour any mixture or ingredient, not the genuine produce of the grain, so that the purity of the meal in any wise be adulterated, and reports the same on oath to a magistrate, then, in that case, such magistrate, or a peace-officer duly authorized by him, shall enter the premises of such suspected person, and search or examine whether such mixture or ingredient, not the genuine produce of the grain, is in the possession of such miller, mealman, or baker; and such meal and flour as shall be deemed to have been adulterated may be seized, together with the base mixtures; and if seized by a peace-officer, it is to be carried before a magistrate, but if seized by the magistrate, he may immediately dispose of it as he shall think fit. And the person on whose premises such mixture or ingredient shall be found, and adjudged to be intended to be used in adulterating the flour, shall forfeit a sum not exceeding ten pounds, and have his name, offence, and place of abode published in some newspaper that is printed or circulated near his place of abode, unless he shall make it appear, to the satisfaction of the magistrate, that the same was not lodged there with the intention of adulterating the flour, but for some other lawful purpose.”
[10]. 31 Geo. 2. c. 29. p. 888.
“That if any person shall wilfully obstruct[[11]] or hinder any search being made for such mixtures as are designed to adulterate the meal or flour, or shall oppose their being carried away, such person shall forfeit a sum not exceeding five pounds, nor less than forty shillings.”
[11]. 31 Geo. 2. c. 29. p. 889.
“And that the good design of these regulations may be more effectually accomplished, it shall be lawful for the several wardmote[[12]] inquests of the city of London, or any magistrate[[13]] or peace-officer authorized by a warrant from such magistrate, without the jurisdiction of the city of London, to enter into any bake-house or shop, at all seasonable times, to search for and weigh all the bread therein; and if any of the loaves are found wanting in the goodness of the stuff of which they should be made, or deficient in the due baking or working thereof, or shall be wanting in the weight, or shall not be truly marked, such persons may seize such bread; and, if a magistrate is not present, it shall be taken before one, who may dispose of it as he shall think fit.”
[12]. 37 Geo. 3. c. 98. sec. 22.
[13]. 31 Geo. 2. c. 29. p. 890.
“That if any person shall wilfully[[14]] obstruct or hinder any such search, or prevent the carrying the same away, he shall, on conviction before a magistrate, be fined a sum not exceeding five pounds, nor less than twenty shillings.”
[14]. 31 Geo. 2. c. 29. p. 890.
“That it shall be lawful for any magistrate[[15]], or peace-officer, authorised by a warrant, and accompanied by one or more master bakers, to enter, at seasonable times, any shop or bake-house within the city of London, or within ten miles of the Royal Exchange, to search and examine whether any alum, or other ingredients, shall have been mixed up with, or put into, any meal, flour, dough, or bread, in the possession of any such baker, and also to search for alum, or any other ingredients, which may be intended to be used for the purpose of adulterating the bread; and if, on enquiry, they find any alum, or other unlawful ingredients, or that any flour, meal, dough, or bread, contains any preparation of alum, such shall be immediately seized, and carried before some magistrate within whose jurisdiction the baker lives, and who shall dispose of it as he shall think fit. And if the magistrate is satisfied that such pernicious ingredients were put into the bread with the consent or privity of the baker, or if he acknowledges it himself, or one or two credible witnesses certify, on oath, that they know he uses alum, such baker shall forfeit any sum of money not exceeding twenty pounds, or be committed to, and kept at hard labour in, the house of correction, or some other prison, for six calendar months, unless he can prove, to the satisfaction of the magistrate, that the alum, or other ingredients, were designed for some lawful purpose. And further, the magistrate is expressly required to cause the offender’s name, place of abode, and offence, to be published in some newspaper which shall be printed or published in or near the city of London, or the liberties thereof.”