Hospital and its Supply of Bread

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 40, 17 February 1937, Page 5

Hospital and its Supply of Bread

UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION, IT IS ALLEGED. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. Allegations that the bread supplied to institutions controlled by the Auckland Hospital Board and to recipients of relief, was sometimes unlit for human consumption and that on occasions it had been found to be considerably under weight, were made by Mr W. G. Alulholland at a meeting of the board. He urged that the contract for the supply of bread should be cancelled. The chairman (Rev. W. C. Wood): Our solicitor has informed us we cannot stop the contract. Mr Mulholland: We had in our conditions that he was to supply a certain weight of bread. He is not supplying it and that should be enough to cancel the contract. Further, he is not supplying a good class of bread and therefore he should not be allowed to continue. The chairman: The Weights and Measures Department has taken the case up and I feel it would be very uuwise for the board to interfere when the department has the matter in hand. If they are satisfied there is a case ana get a decision, the contract is cancelled automatically. For us to chip in at present is contrary to the advice of our solicitor. The dietitian reported that at times the biead was excellent, Rev. Wood continued. Mr Mulholland would convey the impression thut it was uniformly unfit for human consumption but this was not true. There wore times when the broad was eminently satisfactory and times when it fell far below.» “1 have seen bread 1 would not cat and that bread is not used. It is eon-

demned," Rev. Wood concluded. Mr W. Wallace: If the bread is condemned then that should cancel the contract. “Rev. Wood: l agree, but on the advice of our solicitor it would bo unwise to interfere at the moment. Mr Wallace: It has been on hand a long time and should not be allowed to continue. 1 he secretary, Mr H. A. Sommerville, said the board had every right to cancel the contract at present but as the chairman had stated, they were waiting for ac-tic* by the Weights and Measures Department. The bread was not uni--1: or inly bad and the bad bread had been replaced. Dr. Hastings considered it deplorable for a hospital board to continue a contract with any firm that repeatedly supplied bread below standard. “I think we should immediately discontinue the contract and I feel wo would have public support behind us,” Mr Hastings added. The matter was referred to the finance committee with power to act.