BUTCHER HEAVILY FINED FOR RATION BREACHES

Chronicle (Levin), 13 July 1946, Page 3

BUTCHER HEAVILY FINED FOR RATION BREACHES

-Fresa *.s°ociation

By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Jul.v 12. l'iues totalling £22 5 wero, iuiposod l>y Mr. L. G. Ii. SinoJair, SA1., on Joliu Sydncy Cormack, butolior (Mr. ilciiry) who ploadcd guilly to iiiue broadlea oC the Katioiiing Lmergeney Ki'gulatioixs, 1912. Tliere wero eigiil chargos of makiug uutrue or mi.sleadiug statexueuts iu cerlificates of the couteuts of liicat ratiouiiig envelopes and tliere was oue cliarge of supplying iueat without tak iug coupons. Mr. Cleal, who prosecuted, doseribed the cuse as oue of Ihe worst tliat had come to the knowledge of the katioxiixig Controller. Defendant operated two shops, one at Dominion Koad and the other at Mt. Albert Koad, and he had been in business for 18 moiiths. Under the regulations defendant had to count the coupons surrendered, plaee them in an envelope and on the certilieate on the envelope declare the eontents. The envelope was then taken to his banker and defendant was supplied with a credit slip showing the amount of coupons deposited. At the end of every four weeks or le.ss defendant appiied i'or further stocks of meat and the application was based on the credit slips from the banlc. Defendant had been banking 15 to 50 envelopes a month which would amount to 54i> to (100 over the past year, said Mr. Cleal. A rationing otiieer ealled for defendant 's envelopes and eight wero selected at random. They were found to contani shortages aAd'invalid coupons, the total shortage being £9(5 worth of coupons re.presenting g478 1b. of meat. Only eight envelopes were eheeked and ii was a reasoa -

alde inferenee thal iu Ihe year he ro ceived 250,000 Ib. of' meat which Iu- h;ul uot declared. Tliat would lcpresent ' £7U0U worth of coupons. Kefurring to the charge oi' sclling meat without coupons, .Mr. Cleal slaled tliat atr inspeetor wenl to dei'einlanl 's shop and l)oughl a roast of meat J'or 4s (id. Ile hunded over Ihe nioney luit uo coupons. No recjuest was made i'or, coupons. Mr. Ilenry stated tliat dei'endant was i a returucd soldier. The tuo shoj>s were, some distance apart and lie did his own buying so tliat his liands were tied. 'i'lie counting of the coupons was done l»y , an employee. The sale of meat to ihe inspeetor was made by an inexperienced employoc. Mr. Cleal pointed out tliat I'or every £1 worth of coupons a butcher was entitled to a Goveriiment subsidy of 2s 4d. Assuming tliat the estiniatcd c;ceess of meat obtained in the year was correet, defendant would have received 7000 two and fourpenees from tlie Guvernment. Therefore the taxpayer had lost that 'amount. Defendant was lined £25 on eacli of the nine charges.