WEDNSDAY, MARCH 8, 1877.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 737, 8 March 1877, Page 2

WEDNSDAY, MARCH 8, 1877.

I A correspondent m another column draws attention to the question of the] sale of bread, a very important one, which, while it affects the working classes perhaps the more deeply, touches nevertheless every member of the community. He asks what is the law on the subject. That is contained m the Bakers and Millers Act 1871 of the General Assembly, which repealing existing Provincial Acts provided general regulations to control the sale of bread, and prevent the adulteration of bread and flour. By clause 4of the Act bread made for sale m New Zealand must be made from certain specified ingredients only, and from none other, namely flour or meal of wheat, barley, rye oats, buckwheat, indian corn, "peas, beans, rice or potatoes or any of them, and with any common salt, pure water, eggs, milk, balm, leaven, potato or other yeast and mixed m such proportions as may be thought fit, and with no other ingredient or matter whatever. The mixture of alum or any other than those above mentioned is punishable with a fine of not more than ten nor lessjthan two pounds. But though the baker may use any of the above substitutes for wheaten flour, he is bound to advertise his customers of such. Three kinds or description of bread are recognised by the Act. "Standard wheaten bread" made of wheaten flour without mixture or division — the whole produce of the grain, the bran and hull excepted. Loaves of this quality do not require to be stamped, and the absence of a stamp upon the loaf is the bakers certificate that the loaf is "standard wheaten bread." The second description is termed " household wheaten bread," and is defined by the Act as wheaten bread, made for sale, of any meal m which a portion of the bran or hull shall have been retained. Every loaf of such bread must be marked with a larsre Eoman H. The third description of bread is termed " mixed bread," that is, a bread made for sale wholly or partly of the meal or flour of any other sort of corn or grain than wheat, or of the meal or flonr of any peas, beans, or potatoes, and it is not enough that an occasional piece of potato skin shall announce the fact to the customer, but the baker must mark every such loaf with a large Eoman M. The penalty if he neglect to affix such marks is a sum of ten shillings for every pound weight of such bread sold, made for sale, or exposed for sale. Clause 10 of the Act provides that all bread, except French or fancy bread or rolls, shall be sold by wight and not otherwise, under a penalty not exceeding forty shillings. This provision is met by the baker selling a loaf as a two or four pound loaf, and his doing so renders him responsible for the weight, but clause 12 empowers any purchaser to have the bread weighed m his or her presence, to refuse which will render the vendor liable to a penalty m any sum not exceeding £5. Ourcorrespondentasksus whether the pound-weight consists of 14 or 16 ounces t The A.ct settles this question m clause 11, where it says, that sellers of bread "shall use avoirdupois weight of sixteen ounces to the pound according to the legal standard m New Zealand, and the several gradations of the same for any less quantity than a pound." For every offence against this clause he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding £5 nor less than ss. Clause 14 provides a penalty not exceeding £20 for even having on his premises any impure, unsound or unwholesome flour. So far for the bakers. The remainder of the Act is directed against the adulteration of flour previously to its coming into their hands. A penalty of not more than .£2O nor less than £5 is imposed on millers adulterating flour or meal, or selling flour of one sort of corn as the flour of another ; and clause 17 p provides that a penalty not exceeding £5 for the first, £10 for the second, and £15 for every subsequent offence, shall be inflicted on every miller, mealman, or baker m ' whose house or shop, ground or possession, any ingredient or mix- ■ ture shall be found which shall, I after due examination, bo adjudged ; by any Justice to have been deposited' there for the purpose of , being used m adulterating the purity or wholesomeness of any meal, ' flour, dough, or bread. Of the fines inflicted under the Act, one moiety is to go to the Consolidated Fund, and the other moiety to } the use of the informer or person prosecuting. In the evenjb pf the fecond conviction, the name of the 1 offender, his place of abode and offence, and the penalty imposed may be published at the expense of the offender m such newspaper or m such other manner as the Justices may direct. All [complaints must be

laid within 72 hours next after th. offence shall have been committed The above Act repealed, amongst others, the " Sale ofßread Act, 1863" of the Auckland Provincial Council.