CAUSTIC IN WHEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 124, 28 May 1928, Page 15

CAUSTIC IN WHEY.

PEDIGREE FIGS POISONED. DAMAGES AGAINST FACTORY. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WANGANUI, Saturday. The poUoning of his pedigree pigs Ted Archibald Yardley to sue the Patewanui Djiiry Company for £1.">0 damages. He was awarded £125, with costs ilti 8/0. Plaintiff said he was a shareholder in and supplier of the factory, and took whey from the factory. On December 10 last his pigs, and those of another supplier, llad become "drunk" on the whey, concerning which he had previously complained. The following day the manager assured him the tank had been washed out. and that the whey would l»e all right. He took more whey, and within 12 hours of feeding he noticed that the pigs were scalded, and they died. An examination of one showed that a strong irritant was present.

In seeking redress at the time he asked the company f• »r £53. The letter containing the request, and also on*; from his solicitor, were ignored.

The manager of the factory, James h. Hocking, said there was no possibility of caustic remaining in the tank after it was cleaned.

Haeroa Marumarn, chairman of directors, said complaints had been made of fermented wliey, but his manager had assured lunx that the trouble was caused by suppliers' barrels being dirty. The magistrate said t+ie evidence showed that there must have been caustic in the whey. It appeared that through some negligence of the company damage had been done to plaintill s pigs which were valuable ones.