COMPANY'S RESPONSIBILITY

Chronicle (Levin), 2 July 1946, Page 3

COMPANY'S RESPONSIBILITY

GONVIGTION AGA1JNST FA111ATU A DAIRY ±" AUl'Oliy A cliargi; oi' railurc to jjrarli- miil. ;i'Tui duij; to tio' dairy rimutai ioiiN \\a> jci'oiit 1 v b rough! agaiu.st ihe Pahiatua ( 'u-ojjciati ve Dairy Compiuiy iu tlu* 31 agist riite \s ourt a t Palmerston A'oitli by Ihe dairy ilhishm oi' ihe Dejiailineul oi' Agriculture. Divisiuxx \\ax osor\ ed. Ye.sterday tlie 3IagislraL- (.Mr. . Marsuck, N.31.i auuouuced liis deci.sion a.- L'oliows: — ' ' it was agreed l»y eoiiiisel ior 1 >ot ii miIps tliat the sole matter iu issue uathe ijuestion oi' respousibility Ior rarry jng out the dtity iinposed l>y the j )a iry Produce Kcgulutions, I of yradiug the luilk daily. The e\ ideuce, oral and writteu. eleai'Jy establislies a iireaeh oi the regiilations. Tlie point to tlec.ide is, by wliom was it comuiitteU .' liegulation 1 ti provided thut "tiie iiuiier oi such maiiut'artiiriiig' dain f>hall .... grarie or catise to !>e grniled . . . . " By regulation 2 (-.) the word ''owner" was delined as ineaxiiiig the owjier, and iueluded the liiuuagt'r. ILe eouJcMiot aeeept the eonteutioii tliat iu the ease of a eoiupany tlie teriu "owuer" lneanl exelusively either the manager or oue of tlie priiu-ipal otlieers. Jix liis opinion the world " kiehuling " w as used iu tliat section to eiilarge the nieaniug ot' tlie word "owner" aceordiug to its natural iiuport. Tliat use ot "iucluding" was very genernl iu in terpretation elauses. There was an oldigation on tlie defeiidant couijiaiiv to cause ihe luiik reeeived at Ihe faclory to he graded daily. Tliat oldignliou had not been

performed. it niight be tliat the pert'oriuaiiee of the duty was left in the hands of tlie manager; but tlie couipany could not divest itself of its legal respousibility. Tlie compaiiy, tlierefore, niust be couvicted. Tlie eonvietion will not be entered | for tliree weeks in order to aJlow the i couipany to lodge an appeal against the i decisiuu.