SHORT WEIGHT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 253, 16 October 1876, Page 2

SHORT WEIGHT.

To the Editor of the 'Evening Mail.' Sik— l avail myself of the medium of your paper to object, as a citizen and a .consumer of an article for which. Nelson province is justly celebrated to an iniquitous practice which is apparently extending day by day. I refer, Sir, to the light weight of butter. On more than one occasion I have for curiosity's sake weighed butter coming from the country districts and found it to vary from 12 to 15 ozs, rarely reaching the required weight of 1 6 ozs. Yesterday I applied the test to a pound received from the country, and found it to be 12 ozs. It is generally acknowledged that we purchase butter by weight, and not by the lump as rolled or patted at the maker's discretion, and often we/pay quite enough, considering the. price given by the storekeeper to the producer. No doubt when these mistakes occur to which I refer (and I hope they are such only) the makers commit them from want of knowledge and care, but, Sir, are they not as culpable for disposing of an article as the storekeeper is for supplying short weight, and liable to as severe a penalty ? Four ounces in every pound will prove something considerable as a loss in a family's consumption per annum, and since we export large quantities of butter to the West Coast if this practice is not remedied at once it will give Nelson a name for dishonesty. Trusting these remarks will not prove out of place, but have a timely effect in checking a growing evil.— l am, &c, - Weighed and found wanting. „., -Nelson, .October 12.