BAKERS AND THEIR BREAD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 145, 19 June 1894, Page 5

BAKERS AND THEIR BREAD.

POLICE PROSECUTIONS.

Inspector Moor had a field day ab the Police Court this morning, he having no loes than 15 bakers summoned to answer charges of either selling bread that was alleged to be light weight;, or else not having scales with the delivery cart sufficient to weigh the bread. Mr H. W. Northcrofb, S.M., waa on the Bench, Air T. Cotter appeared for the defendants, and Sergeant Gamble conducted the cases for the prosecution. Philip Crowe waa charged with having, on the 3lst of May, made bread of other weight than lib, 2!b, 41b, 61b and Sib, namely, 31b Il£oz. He was further charged with not having with the cart scales, as required by the Act, sutficienb to weigh the bread. James William Moor, Inspector of Weights and Measures, deposed to stopping Mr Crowe's cart. The driver produced a spring balance, which witness found to be aboub three-quarters of a pound out when there was nothing on ib. The driver said be had no idea the balance was out of order. Witness asked the driver to pub come bread in a basket and come with ib to a shop. The man did so, and upon weighing the bread witness found that one loaf was five ounces light. The second was a four-pound pan loaf which was four and a-half ounces light. The third was four ounces light. Three two-pound pan loaves were full weight. The bread was all fresh. By Mr Cotter: If witness had found a loaf overweight he would not have prosecuted, even supposing one was 51b 6oz overwoight. He did not allow any margin under weight, bub if it was very small he would not take action. J. Robinson deposed that he was employed to drive Mr Crowe'a baker's cart. He was delivering to the customers when tho inspector asked for bia scales. He was not aware that the balance was out of order Although these scales had been carried for months, they had never been asked for before. He saw the inspector weigh the bread, * Some of the loaves were full weight, others were not. Mr. Cotter, in opening the case for the defendant, took objection to the information on tho ground that it should have been laid within 72 hours, instead of which it was not laid until a week after the inspection was made. Mr Cotter quoted authorities at some length in support of his contention. He submitted that no conviction with regard to the weight of the bread could be made upon such an information. Mr Northcrofb said be would reserve that point, as he considered that selling short weight bread was a very great matter for the public generally. Mr Cotter said his second objection was that the inspector had nob asked to be supplied with a loaf of any particular weight. He simply told the driver to pub some biead in a basket and come and have it weighed: There could be no offence unless there was a representation made that the loaf was of any particular woight. The only otience. was to make a loaf under lib in weight. MrNorthcroft thoughb this caso should nob go off on a technical point, as the driver saw the bread weighed. He considered there was sufficient evidence to show that the bread was short weight. Mr Cotter asked His Worship to note his objection, which was that there whs no evidence that any of the loaves weighed by the inspector were made for sale under any of the sizes mentioned by him. A further objection was taken by Mr Cotter that the driver was not the acent of Mf Crowe to make any representation regarding the weight of the bread. He said he could, if necessary, call overwhelming evidence to show that bakers in preparing their bread for baking put exactly tho same quantity of dough into their oven for each loaf, and that the variation in weight was due to causes almost entirely outside of thoir control. The bakers wanted a ruling from the Bench, when they could then either change their system of business or petition Parliament to have the law altered. Lee a baker be as conscientious as he pleaßed he might all the same get into trouble under the present law. Mr Northcrofb said : It baa been held thab no matter how hard the law is, it should be carried out, and alterations left to the Legislature. [Left Sitting.]