SMOKING AT THE MARKETS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 130, 26 February 1919, Page 6

SMOKING AT THE MARKETS

PRACTICE MUST BE STOPPED

AUCTIONEER AND FRUITERERS FINED

The practice of smoking at the fruit markets is -an pifenco ngniust the city by-laws, and the municipal authorities are determined to put it ■down. In tho course of a case at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, in which Georeo Baker, auctioneer, and Abraham Josephs and Oreste Tcrriui, fruiterers, were charged with having smoked in premises where foodstuffs were sold by auction, Mr J. O'Shea, City Solicitor, said that unless drnsßc steps were taken to prevent smoking at the markets thqre would be no end to it. "I.am informed," remarked Mr. O'Shea, "that not bnly do some of the buyers smoke, but that auctioneers smoke also. I was told that by an auctioneer who is a non-smoker. An end must be put to the practice. It was stopped some years ago, but there has been a recrudescence of it."

"If the inspectors did something with yegnrd to the rotten' fruit that is sold in tho market it would be much better for the public health," said Terrini. "It is worse than mnoking." Defendant add<!ij that he had smoked as the result of the ■ -by-law being relaxed during the period of the epidemic. He thought it would. 1)0 beneficial.

Mr. O'Shea: If you make a complaint regarding rotten fruit we will see to it. '

"I cannot deal with n complaint of that sort ;now," said Mr. Frazer. "If you have.any complaint about rubbish or rotten fruit or vegetables lying about the auction rooms, you certainly should lot the inspector know. It is not right ■that that stuff should 1)0 left lying about." In regard to the charges of smoking, His Worship said that a, Magistrate had decided some time aeo that the city by-law relating to smoking in auction rooms was sound . and valid. "There is no doubt about it," Mr. Frazer irent on, "that numbers of people cannot iimoke without spitting. Why they .cannot do so I do not know, but still the fact remains that they cannot, and to save any trouble, and to prevent any risks, the by-law prohibits smoking: at the market." In the present case the auctioneer was certainly most to blame. If there! was any influenza about just now it did not exist in enidemic form, and there was no reason '"why tho hy-law as to smoking (should be relaxed any ■ DaKer was nned £ii, with costs 75., ana Josephs and Terrini, £1, with costs 7e. ■each. /