FOOD-SHORT WEIGHT?

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1464, 12 June 1912, Page 6

FOOD-SHORT WEIGHT?

TRADES HALL IDEA. SWEEPING CHANGE TO MINISTER, REGULATIONS ASKED. Allegations relating to the sale of food were made by a deputation from the Wellington Trades Council, which waited upon the Hon. ,1. A. Ilnnnn (Minister . for. Justice) yesterday. The members of the ' deputation were: —Messrs. M. J. Beardon (president' of. .the Trades Council) and G. I'. Royliiig (secretary). Butter and Fruit Mentioned First. Mr. Reardon began by stating that not only were people being compelled to pay increased prices lor commodities, but they were being "had" by short measure. The Trades Council had instituted inquiries as to what remedy could be obtained under existing'laws, but its legal advisor (Mr. D. M. Findlny) had stated that there was very little power to regulate weights and measures. Mr. Findlny had told them that anyone buying a. pound of butter could get an inspector of weights mid measures to examine the scales used, but that if the scales were correct -the official had no further power. The , purchaser of a pound of butter frequently got only 14 ounces, and, even then, probably got twenty per cent, of water in the butter. In the ■ fruit market," it sometimes happened that cases purporting to contain 2-ilb. only contained : 201b. An Old Bill-Would it Meet the Case? Mr. Reardon brought under the Ministers notice a Bill entitled tho "Adulteration Prevention Acts Amendments, 1896," which was introduced in the Legislative Council by the late Hon. W. C. AValker, in 189 G. This Bill, Mr. Reardon stated, seemed to have been forgotten, . but. it contained nearly everything his council" desired"■■■ to see ' enacted. He, suggested that the Government should foke up Mr. Walker's Bill, or else mako .' such regulations under existing law as ■would effectually curb the practice of selling under weight. Even tobacco was not always sold full weight. The two-ounce tin sometimes contained less than that weight. "In almost every Hue," declared <he president of the Trades Council, "in addition to prices going up, weights are , {{oing down." Since asking for an interview with tho Minister, lie added, the council had ascertained that Dr. Frengley ivas drafting regulations which would meet the position that the council had proposed to cover by advocating the re-introduction of Mr. Walker's Bill. The Bill provides that artciles pocked in closed packages or tins shall be clearly labelled with a description of contents; that the weight of butter and similar articles shall, be stated on the wrapper,, and the Bill provides a penalty-for breach of thesa provisions. . .. . : ... -. ■The Minister Drags.in Drugs. Tho Minister asked whether it was intended that the printed formula provision should be made applicable to drug?. ; Mr.Reardon said that the council desired niairirfr to deal with foods, but cOnsidi cred thai it would be all the better, to similar regulations, in reference to drugs. He went on to say that skim milk was being'sold in tins as the genuine article. ,He was sure that inquiries would substantiate all the allegations that had been made. Another thing which the Trades Council'desired was that coal delivery ; carts should be required to carry Males .so-that householders mipht know that they: were getting full weight. Mr. Hanati; Inclined io "Pass it on" to ; ■'.. : Another Minister. The Minister said tliat the subject matter of the representations did not come entirely under his control. The police to 6ome"extent exercised supervision over weights and measures, but most of the ■work which had been referred to belonged to tho Department of the Minister for Internal Affairs, who was also Minister for Public Health. The Health Deport, niont had food standards and others, and it employed , in'spec'torsrwho furnished returns. It seemed to him that it would bo better if the whole question of weights and measures were under the Health De- , partment, because weights and measures had so much to do with the supply of food. Ho recognised that New Zealand had not as advanced legislation on its statute Book in regard to the branding and labelling of goods as had been passed in Australia. In order to deal with imported goods, under such regulations. a« had been suggested it would entail providing increased Customs accommodation. These and other details -would probably involve considerable expense, but tho public had a right to ask for protection in regard to the quality or weight of goods sold. \ery complete regulations had been framed in Australia and it seemed to him desirable that similar regulations should bo made in New Zealand. Ho had himsef urged, in ths House, that this Bhoiild bo done. : • The Talk Gets Back to Drugs. Mr. Hanan. promised to bring these mattors under the-notice, of the Minister for Internal Affairs.. The question in repavd ■to the labelling of drugs, he remarked, had given rise to a great deal of controversy, in the past. Legislation had been brought down, but nothing had been tlone. Very strong opposition was raided 'to it, said the Minister. ■ m T ' Jt ear - (lon: By "Crested people! Mr. Hanan: I held a strong opinion on the subject myself. Mr. Reyling pointed, out that neither, -under the Weights and Measures Act. nor under the Pure Food and Drnps Act, was anvoiif given power to take notion. 1 he Minister: Have you been advised of _ Mr. Reyling: Yes; the medical officer is in. sole charge, but there are no regulations) defining in what way lie shall take netion. : And Then the Milk and Bread. The Minister remarked that prosccutiona ■sometimes took place 'against ven- " dors of adulterated milk. Mr. Reyling replied that milk and bread were about (lie only two articles Miecified. Mr. Findkiy had advised that there were no regulations giving power to. prosecute save in respect to the two commodities!* mentioned. Mr. Hanan: I think you have put tho ndvice stronger than it was given to you. "That is a Very Serious Statement to ;• Make." Mr. Reardon said that he had been told by '-'a man in the trade." that only one factory sent out full-weight packages of butter. "Pounds" of butter that came from othei factories weighed anythine from 14 to Ifi ounoe?.- ' The Minister: That is a verv serious statement to make. Mr. Reardon: In'addition to the prices charged, we have been "had" in other ways. For one thing, there is the quantity of water in the butter. Mr. Hanan: There is legislation dealin" with buttor for export. Mr. Reardon: The export trade is guarded in the interests of the trade itself, * hut thero is ' very little control over tlic locnl article. We know that, at times, a quantity of farmers' butter— which is regarded as inferior—is worked up with factory butter, and sold on the local market as factory butter. Tho Minister repeated his former suggestion that the points raised should l.e submitted to the Minister for Public Health, and the deputation withdrew. SOME INQUIRIES. WHAT TRADERS THINK OF IT. In view of sooie- statements made by the deputation to Mr. Hanan," yesterdav, inquiries were addressed to a number of citv traders'. First of all a visit was paid to a bij grocery establishment. Here, at the. re. quest of a reporter, various brands of. butter were weighed. In the case of. two brands, which are in great demand, thi> pound pata were found to bo fully up to standard weight. In oho of "these brands, all the pats weighed were slifrlitly over-weight, lit the caso of another brand, which is les3 in demand than the other two, each "pound" weighed was found to be just half an onnco short of the eovrest weight. The suggestion that scales should be carried on coal-delivery carts was the [ subject matter of another inquiry. Tt ni'a.v be mentioned that hawkers who sell <WJil in-the streets' nf cities in England find Scotland frequently ca.rry scales about with them, but it is done mainly..

I for the purpose of weighing out small, quantities. When Mr. R-cardon's proposal was submitted to u local coal merchant in a largo way of business, ho did not seem to dislike it. It would be a proteoriort to merchants as well as to their customers, ho remarked. The only objection would uiisu from the item of cost.. There would be, in the first plncv, tho cost of the weighing-machines, anil to this would have to be added the time and labour of weighing. To weigh out lmlf a ton of coal might entail delaying a driver, with his horso and cart, for about a quarter of an hour, and tho cost would have to be added to the price of the coal. The coal merchant stated that nil coal is carefully weigbt'd before leaving the ynrd, and that there is a standard allowance! of three pounds for tho weight of a sack. i The statement that cases of fruit containing 201b. were sold as 211b. eases was submitted to a member of a leading firm of auctioneers. He replied that as a rule fruit was not sold by weight. "Bushel'' nml "half-bushel" cases were used indifferently for various classes of fruit. Purchasers saw what they wore buying, and knew that weights varied. The eases mentioned, the auctioneer remarked, were used in the export of fruit, and passed the Government graders containing odd weights. Grapes, tomatoes early in the season, and hot-house products generally, were sold by weight, and were carefully weighed.-