BAD HAMS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9037, 2 March 1908, Page 5

BAD HAMS.

PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROSECUTES.

A HAWKER FINED £lO.

The Department of Public Health instituted its first prosecution under the Pure Food Bill at Masterton, on Saturday, when a hawker named Samuel Herbert Cousin 3 was charged with selling hams unfit for human consumption.

Mr B. J. Dolan appeared for the ' prosecution, Mr C. A. Pownall acting for defendant. Viencenzo Almao stated that a ham was sold to him on Saturday January 11th, witness paying sixpence per lb for the ham. On cutting it he found it to be very bad inside, and it emitted a strong odour. He handed it over to Inspector Cairns. Emily J. Peters, the only other witness called, stated that she was a boardinghouse-lceeper. She purchased three hams at the same price as that paid by the previous witness. One proved so tainted that she had to throw it into the pig-tub. Defendant, en witness mentioning the fact to him of the hams being bad, promised to replace them with three others which wei.e to arrive with a fresh consignment frdm Wellington. Witness never received these. Siie handed one of the hams to the Borough Inspector. Mr Pownall admitted the evidence, but contended that the persons who should have been prosecuted were the auctioneers in Wellington, from whom the hams were purchased by defendant.

Samuel H. Cousins, hawker, defendant, gave evidence on his own behalf. He stated that he was innocent of the fact that the hams were bad when he sold them. He had purchased a consignment to the value of £2O, and though he had heard of other complaints regarding hams sold, they had never come to him direct.

In cross-examination, witness said he paid 2Jd per lb for the hams, and only four had turned out bad, to his knowledge. He had disposed of over twenty hams in Greytown, and about the same number at Featherston, while a Maryborough boardinghouse proprietor has "purchased six. Witness averred that he had had no conversation with Mrs Peters since he sold her the hams.

In answer to His Worship, witness said he had known of as low a price as 4id per lb being paid for hams.

The Magistrate, in commenting on the case, said he had seen one of the hams at Martinborough, and could testify to its putrid condition. Defendant's statement that he diql not know the hams were bad was not altogether satisfactory, and the fact that he paid such a low price should have given him a suspicion that they were not altogether as they should be. The Act provided for a maximum ' penalty of £SO, but it was a question whether imprisonment should not be awarded. Besides the danger to the public health, the selling of such food was virtually a fraud. Mr Pownall said it wouU be a great hardship to inflict a hnavy fine on defendant, who was a poor man, and counsel urged leniency. A fine of £lO, with £2 19s costs was imposed, in default six weeks' imprisonment. Defendant was given the opportunity of paying the fine by weeky instalments.

THE "BAD HAM" BUSINESS,

HOW IT IS CARRIED ON

The presence of a well-known Wellington ham and bacon curer at the above case gave a Wairarapa Age reporter an opportunity to glean some interesting facts concerning the vending of bad hams. . "I was here to-day," said the gentleman referred to, "in the interests of my factory, to see 'that the hams were not described as from our firm. In regard to the vending of bad hams an interesting thing occurred recently. I received a wire from a dealer up north stating that a .thousand hams were purchasable at 3d per lb, and asking me would I 'stand in' and take part of the consignment. I telegraphed back, 'No; would not touch at any price. Our .business reputation above a few pounds profit on that class hams.' These hams, no doubt, had Been badly cured, and, of course, were bad. I believe they were purchased and are probably now being distributed sectional'y over the Island. The hams are varnished outside, and to all external appearance are beautifully dared." In conversation with a Health Department official, on Saturday, the reporter learnt that it was almost certain that the auctioneers who sold the hams in Wellington to the defendant in the foregoing case will also be proceeded against. "It will," said the official, "make those auctioneers who do not scruple to sell diseased food be mjre careful in future, and a warning is badly required.

UNSAVOURY OYSTERS

"A seizure of a number of sacks of bad oysters was made by the Health Department, to-day, and here again an evil is disclosed. Hawkers attend sales in Wellington and purchase for two or three shillings a sack of oysters absolutely unfit for human food, and at a time when good oysters are bringing ISs or more per sack. The bad oysters are immediately taker; up to country towns, and hawked round at what might be a reasonable price if they were £ood, b'at both price and oysters prove veiy high under the circumstances." '