BAKERS’ AND MILLERS’ BILL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 52, 20 January 1872, Page 5

BAKERS’ AND MILLERS’ BILL.

We warn bakers and millers that an act was passed last session affecting them which came into operation on the first day of this year. The objects of the act are the regulation of the sale of bread, and the prevention of the adulteration of meal and flour. Some of its clauses are important; for instance, the fourth clause provides that “ all bread made for sale or sold or exposed for sale within any part of New Zealand” must be made of pure and sound flour or meal of wheat, barley, rye, oats, buck wheat, Indian corn, peas, beans, rice, or potatoes, or any of them; with any common salt, pure water, eggs, milk, barm, leaven, potato, or other yeast, mixed in such proportions as may be thought tit, but with no other ingredient or matter whatsoever. Bread is divided into three classes, and the fifth clause provides that in each class it “ shall always be well made,” and that nO alum or mixture in which alum shall be an ingredient, or any other mixture or ingredient whatsoever, except those mentioned in the act, shall be used. Every person who “ knowingly” offends in this matter is liable to a penalty not exceeding £lO nor less than £2. The first class of bread includes what is called standard wheaten bread. This must be made of wheat flour which is the whole produce of the grain, the bran or hull only excepted, without any mixture or division. The second class is designated household wheaten bread, and may contain a portion of the bran or hull. Every loaf in this class must be marked with a large Roman “ H.” The third class is called mixed bread and includes all bread made wholly or partially of the flour of any other sort of corn or grain that wheat, or of the flour of peas, beans, or potatoes. Every loaf of this description must be marked “ M.” Those who neglect to place those distinctive marks on the class of bread to which they apply incur a penalty of ten shillings for every pound weight sold. All bread must be sold by weight, except those descriptions usually known as French or fancy bread. Bakers are at liberty to make their loaves of any weight or size they think fit, but sell by weight they must, or they render themselves liable to be fined any sum not exceeding £2 for every offence. Moreover, it is distinctly provided that they must use the avoirdupoise weight of sixteen ounces to the pound. If they are convicted of using any other, they may be fined any sum not exceeding £5 nor less than five shillings, and if they refuse to weigh bread—in their shops—when requested to do so, they are also liable to a fine. They must keep proper weighing instruments in some conspicuous part of the shop on or near the counter, and if proved to have in their possession false weights, &c., they are again liable to a fine. The fourteenth clause of the act refers to bread made of unwholeseme flour. If any baker or confectioner should “ wilfully or knowingly” have upon the premises used by him in his trade impure, unsound, or unwholesome flour, or if he should sell any ' bread, &c., made of such flour, he may be fined on conviction before two Justices any sum not exceeding £2O, and the unwholesome or adultered articles may be confiscated. The millers are also stringently looked after in the act. The penalty for adulterating meal or flour, or for selling flour of one sort of corn as the flour of another sort, is any sum not exceeding £2O nor less than £5. Any Justice, or any constable authorised by warrant under the hand of a Justice, can at “ seasonable times in the daytime,” enter into any house or premises occupied by millers, bakers, and others, to search and examine for the purpose of discovering whether any offence has been committed, and the usual penalties for obstructing such search are specified. All offences under this act may be disposed of in a summary way, and all fines and awards imposed will be divided—one moiety to go to the consolidated fund, and the other moiety to the use of the informer or party prosecuting. If any

person shall be twice convicted, it shall be lawful for the Justices to cause the offenders name, place of abode, and offence to be published, at the expense of the offender, in a newspaper in the district. No information can be laid except within the space of three days of the offence being committed ; and no convic tion can be removed into the Supreme Court. The last clause protects Justices of the Peace and officers from any action or suit for any matter or thing done id pursuance of the act. This new act appears to be based on an English statute passed in the reign of William the Fourth, and, in the main, it will,most probably do as much to protect the public as acts of a similar class.