505
FuRTHER REGULATIOYS IN THE BUTTER A~D TALLOW ACTS.
Present-Mr. Mayor, both Sheriffs; Alden. Phillips, French, 1.forley, Terry, Bennett, Millerd, Austin; Mr. Croker, Fuller, Carre, Engain, and Com. Speaker. 26 Nov., 1731. The question being put, whether the Mayor and Council will agree to apply to Parliament for such further regulations in the Butter and Tallow Acts as the Merchants of this City think proper, passed in the affirmative to agree in all points to their report as to Butter and Tallow, in the words following: " It is the opinion of this Committee that one halfpenny per firkin for weighing every empty firkin is sufficient, and that one penny for weighing each firkin full of butter, as the law stands, is also fully sufficient. "And as it is impracticable for the W eighmasters or their Deputies to inspect into the quality of Tallow, it being in the power only of the melter or consumer thereof abroad to detect any fraud therein; and in regard that the weighmasters are at no other trouble than the weighing of the same, we therefore humbly conceive that the premium allowed by the laws now in force for weighing of Tallow is too great, and that instead thereof, one farthing per hundred for weighing the same is sufficient. "And whereas 'tis found by experience that the mixing of butter, marrow, hogslard, kitchen-stuff, and other grease with tallow, is very prejudicial both at home and abroad to the credit of that commodoty and to the trade of this City in general, We therefore are humbly of opinion, that if a law was made that any tallow-chandler, or other person melting tallow for sale, that shall presume to mix any or either of said ingredients with tallow, shall for such offence on due conviction (provided information be given before the Chief Magistrate, or any two Justices of the Peace, within six months after the fact committed) forfeit a penalty of thirty pounds to the use of the informer, that such law would be effectual to the putting a stop to such frauds. Given under our hands, this 25 of Nov., 1731. ".And as to the Ballast Act, we are of opinion that a petition is proper to be preferred to the Parliament, in order to have said Act repealed. "Walter Lavit, Tho. Bousfield, John Yeomans, W. Delahoide, Wm. Thomp- son, Ca. Falkner, Frans. Armstead." 64
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