THE PUBLIC'S FOOD.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1915, Page 2

THE PUBLIC'S FOOD.

WEIGHT OF BREAD AND BUTTER. (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, October 22. One of the matters engaging the at-1 tention of the Minister for Internal Affairs (Hon. G. W. Russell) is the weight of bread and other articles of daily consumption. It is well known that the consumers often fail to get the full Iveight for which they have paid. The evil is increased by the failure of the majority of the public to take any measures to protect themselves against fraud of this kind, but Mr. Russell is determined to bring the pressure of the law to bear upon the jnerchants, manufacturers and retailers who fail, through carelesness or dishonesty, to give full weight. "I have been urged by the! bakers that the legal weight of the loaf should be the weight of the dough before it goes into the oven," said Mr. Russell, In mentioning this matter to-day. "That is to say, if the baker put four pounds ofr dough into the oven he would not be responsible for the baked loaf. I cannot see my way to make a change of this kind, for the simple reason that the buyers of bread are entitled to get what they pay for. The four-pound loaf should weigh four pounds, and not an ounce less. But lam anxious that the bakers should have a square deal and not be penalised for what might he a mere accident. I have given instructions, therefore, that when the inspectors are weighing bread at any bakery on behalf of the Department they are to take a number of loaves, say ten, and weigh them together. If the gross weight is right, then the baker will not be penalised for any slight variation in separate loaves. If the ten loaves do not make the full weight, then the baker will be prosecuted in respect of the loaves which are found to be shortweight. We certainly intend that the people Bhall get what they pay for at the bakeries and everywhere else. "The same principle is being applied in- connection with butter. The inspectors are watching the sales of butter and weighing packages as oocasion arises i» order to make sure that the consumers are not being defrauded. We are dealing with every article that is sold by weight. The public are entitled to an assurance, for example, that a pound package of tea really does contain a pound weight. The salesman is violating the law if he weighs the wrapping paper with ; the tea. He must not sell paper, costing perhaps twopence a pound, at the price of tea. '

"This question of the weight of articles of common consumption is a very important one, and it has a direct bearing upon the cost of living," added the Minister. "The Department is going to provide all the protection it can for the consumers, who are entitled under the law to full weight every time. The law will be administered stringently and without regard for persons."