ACID IN MILK.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 76, 30 March 1928, Page 9

ACID IN MILK.

CITY TEA ROOMS SUPPLIED. OFFENCE NOT "VENIAL." "IGNORANCE NO EXCUSE."

For the addition of boric acid to milk, Ebenezer Henry Slater was fined £2 and costs £3 3/ at the Police Court to-day. Prosecuting on lwhalf of the Department, Mr. V. N. Hubble said that Slater supplied a city tea rooms with milk, and samples were obtained from there by an inspector. An analysis shoved that the milk contained boric acid. There was a sweet taste, although it was really bad milk. But for the presence of boric acid it would have been bad to the taste. «

Mr. Burt, counsel for the defendant, said that Slater had only three customers. The quantity of boric acid added was infinitesimal, being only about one spoonful in ten gallons of milk. Before Slater entered into the milk business lie was interested in butterfat, and at that time it was permissible to add boric acid to butter, and defendant was unaware of the regulation prohibiting the use of the acid in milk. ,ia

Mr. Burt described the offenr js very venial, but Mr. Hubble did not agree. He said that never at any time had boric acid been allowed in milk.

"Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and if a man enters business lie should make himself conversant with the regulations," said Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., in imposing the penalty.