Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 582

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Preservatives-Borax, Boric, Salicylic, and Benzoic Acids, Fluoborate, Fluosilicates, Fluorides, Sulphites, Formalin, Asaprol, Saltpetre,..

Artificial Colouring Matter,..

Absent.

1 in 25,000

of methyl- orange.

Absent.

1 in 25,000 of methyl-

orange.

The results showed the samples to be of very good quality, free from preservative, and containing only a minute harmless quantity of the colouring matter methyl-orange.

7. In a trade-mark case a sample of tea was found to be adulterated with :--

(1) We Sum-foreign leaves.

(2) Ching Shui-exhausted leaves stiffened with starch.

(3) Mut Chu-dust tea nade into small pieces about the size of a pea by means

of starch.

The tea was deficient in extract, caffeine, and in soluble ash.

8. A good deal of care is taken by retailers that the quality of their liquors answers the legal requirements. A large quantity of brandy being deficient in ethers, was returned to the shippers. As the question as to "What is Whisky" has not yet been decided it has not been considered advisable to recommend any prosecutions with regard to this liquor. At present therefore the quality of whisky remains the same as that required in England.

9. The analysis of locally made beer has shown it to be possible to brew here a beverage of high quality, which will keep sufficiently long without the use of any preservative.

BUILDING MATERIALS.

10. During past years a large number of samples of cement have been sent for analysis, but the works on which it was used having been completed, only one sample was examined during the year. Analyses continued during a number of years have shown that Hong- kong-made cement is remarkably uniform in character, and equal in every respect to any other good brand of Portland Cement,

MINERALOGICAL.

11. A number of ores and metals have been examined. There was a heavy fall in the price of tin during the year, so that the amount handled here seems to have diminished.

12. An examination of a counterfeit twenty cent silver piece shewed it to contain in 1,000 parts:-

Silver,

Lead,...

Gold,

Tin,

Copper,

.770.5

.4

.27

1.6

..............226.3

999.07