ADULTERATED MILK

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2488, 15 June 1915, Page 9

ADULTERATED MILK

SEVERAL VENDORS PROSECUTED. TWO FINES OF £10. The question of the Hospital milk supply again came before tlie Magistrate's Court .yesterday morning, when , Inspector Cowdroy, of the Health Do ' partment, proceeded against William T. Strand, milk vendor, of Lower Hutt r , (1) for selling milk containing added water; (2) selling milk below standard, j Mr. D. G. A. Cooper was on the Bench. Mr. V. JR. Meredith appeared for the Department, and Mr. T. W. Kirk for defendant. According to a statement by defendant's solicitor, which was afterwards ' corroborated by defendant himself, defendant had been supplying milk to the t Hospital since December last. From April 1 to April 19 the Hospital authorities complained that the milk was ' short by about forty gallons, while on April 19 samples taken by the Department showed 4.5 per cent, of added water. Prior to April 19, defendant did not lock his cans before their doDarture for the Hospital, and as defendant was unaware of either the shortage . or tho adulteration, Mr. Kirk remarked the Court could see someone else was responsible for the trouble. When defendant took over the supply to the Hospital he realised that the institution had had trouble with their milk in the past, and asked that frequent samples be taken. After April 19, defendant had locked his cans, and no complaint had- been made against him. Mr. Kirk added that the farm defendant controlled had an unblemished record for thirty years past. Counsel added that he had learnt from Mr. Cowdrey that defendant supplied the Salvation Army with two gallons of milk daily gratuitously. Tho. Magistrate remarked that it ap- ' Peared to him that the evidence for . the _ defence had been giv«i in a straightforward manner. He would impose a penalty, however, not so much to punish Mr. Strand, but to warn others that a little more care should be taken in superintending their milk. A fine of £10, with costs £1 18s. 6d., was impo'sed rn respect to the first charge, while on tho second charge, Strand was merely convicted. The next case was against Frank Edkins. who was fined £10, with costs £1 18s. 6d.. for selling milk below standard, while the charge against him of selling milk with added water was withdrawn. Inspector Middleton proceeded against Robert Hall for selling margarine with added colouring matter, and with selling margarine below standard. Mr. Meredith explained that by colouring his margarine' so as to give' it the ap- • pcaraneo of butter, defendant obtained an advantage oyer his fellow-tradesmen, who had complied with the regulations. The adding of colouring matter did not detract from the margarine's quality. A fine of £2, with costs, was imnosed m rcspcct to the first charge, while on the second Hall was convicted and discharged. Mr. E. C. Levvey appeared for defendant. The evidenco in the case against Ellen Boyd, charged with selling milk below xtandard. was heard, and the Macisi trate ros«rved decision till to-d.iv. Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for defendant. Tho cases against Harold F. Walker. Donald Conk (two informations) and Frances E. Green wore adjourned till 1 to-day on. account of the pressure of Court business.