TE KUITI MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 704, 16 September 1914, Page 5

TE KUITI MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th, 1914. (Before Mr E. Rawson, S.M). Shortweight Bread: The bakers of Te Kuiti were called upon to explain the reason why the bread supplied by them failed to come up ti the standard in weight. The information were laid by Inspector Calderwood under the Food and Drugs Act. Mr Vernon appeared for both defendant firms, Messrs Green and Colebrook and Messrs Pettigrew and Lusty. In respect to the case of Messrs Gretn and Colebrook evidence was given by Inspector Calderwood to thß effect that a number of loaves weighed were short of the 41b standard from JJoz. to 6oz. They were sandwich loaves. fln reply to Mr Vernon witness said he did not imply that defendants deliberately attempted to sell Bhortweight bread to the public. Still the bread was under weight and if proper care was exercised this should not occurg Inspector Bennett, of the Health Department, was called by defendants and stated he had been in charge of the district for about sevei years. During that term he had frequently weighed defendants bread and found it uo to the standard In some cases it might be a trifle short but this would Decompensated for in the general average of tha bread tested. He had been requested by the firm to"pay frequent visits to their bakehouses and keep the bakers up to the mark in all respects. He knew it was difficult to make a batch of bread of uniform weight. In respect to sandwich loaves some bakers claimed they came within the category of fancy bread as they were baked for a special purpose. F. B- Darrow, manager for Greenand Colebrook, said special instructions were given to the bakerß to allow 3oz in 21b loaves and 6oz in 41b loaves for shrinkage. It was extremely difficult to regulate a batch to a uniform weight as the first loaves of the batch were the first to go into the oven and the last to come out, therefore evaporation in these loaves was greater. His Worship said it appeared to him the only way to make sure of selling the correct weight was to weigh every loaf. The public had to be protected to the extent of seeing that they got the fjll weight they paid for. The responsibility was on the defendants to see that the bread was not short in weight. A fine of £3 and costs would be inflicted. Mr Vernon, on behalf of Pettigrew I and Lusty, pleaded guilty, and a similar fine was inflicted.