POISON IN CREAM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 81, 5 April 1930, Page 11

POISON IN CREAM

A MATTER OF GRADING

DAIRY MANAGER CHARGED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WANGANUI, This Day

The police yesterday proceeded again Matthew Leo Rogers, manJ°al *> ' agcr of tbe Kangrwalna Dairy Co., on a, charge of attempting to sol cream t0 t ] lo Maoriland Dairy Co. which conGained potassium bichromate, which is hibitcd undel . the Food alld Drugs v . « . . Act. Potassium Tjiehromatc, which is used as a preservative, is an irritant g{m presentatives of the. Maonland Co., private concern, when an tho Kangitikci district, were successful in getj^g several farmers to supply tlieir factory. Those supplies nad previous]y SO nt their cream to the EuahineRangiwahi.i co-operative butter faeTory at Bangiwahia. The defendant Eogcrs was the manager of the Eangi—i"- *-«<■«—

Describing the method of testing the cream, Detective AValsh said that a small sample was taken from each can and kept until ten days; samples were available, then a test was made of the accumulated samples. To keep the samples from deterioration during the ten days, a small amount of preservative, potassium bichromate, or as it ■was commonly called, bichromate of potash, was placed in each bottle. After testing, the samples were kept for four days to allow of Government inspection. On 16th December, 1929, a can containing 211b of cream, labelled "D. Say well," was received by the Maorilarid Co. from Ohingaiti. Further consignments in the same ' can wero received on 26th November, Oth December, and 16th December. AVhen a fourth can arrived, the health officer was sent for and a sample of the cream was taken. "This sample has been analysed by a qualified analyst, and has been found to contain potassium bichromate," said Detective AValsh, CASE FOR PROSECUTION. Evidence was called to show that Saywell, in whose name the cream was sent, was acting under the defendant's instructions. ' The police claimed that Saywell was an innocent party to the transaction. It was. contended that the consignments of cream sent forward by -Rogers wero the preservatised samples of cream containing potassium bichromate that he would have on hand at ten-day intervals. , . Ernest AVilliam Pemberton, chairman of; directors of the Ruahine-Rangiwahia Dairy Co., said the first ho heard of the defendants sending cream to the Maoriland Co. was from Rogers himself before the New Year. Detective AValsh: "AVill you toll, us why he should do so?" AVitness: "Ho told us he wanted to see how the Maoriland graded.'' Detectivo AValsh: "Why?"AVitness: "He told us he did not think tho Maoriland was grading properly." Continuing, the witness said that his company did not approve of Rogers's action and did not intend to send any more. Rogors told the directors at a meeting that he did not intend to send any more. . Detectivo Walsh: ' 'Why did he think tho Maoriland -was not grading properly?" . . AVitness: "Because he said that they had taken cream that he had rejected." . SHOULD IT GO TO A JURY? The defence referred to the highly penal nature of the offence charged, and asked whether a case would bo allowed to go to a jury when there.were so many opportunities for deleterious, matter to be put into the cream. Tho Magistrate held that there was a case to answer. The ease war adjourned until to-day.