MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22371, 7 April 1938, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

WEDNESDAY (Before Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M.) SHEEP AFFECTED WITH LICE Clive Patmer Reese, of Hawarden, was fined 20s and ordered to pay costs for having exposed sheep affected with lice for sale at the Addington market. For a similar offence, William Pritchard Spencer, of Ouruhia, was also fined 20s and ordered to pay costs. Defendant said that he ran more than 1000 .sheep ori scrubby country and they were difficult to muster. The affected sheep must have slipped through without his knowledge,, he said. Clifford Henry Joseph Gainsford, of Church Bay, pleaded not guilty to a similar offence, stating that he had dipped the sheep last autumn. The sheep were dipped by the department at the saleyards before they were sold, he said, and as a result he had lost 4s or 5s a head on the line of 158. Gainsford was ordered to pay costs. The cases were brought by the Department of Agriculture, Mr R. McK. Henderson (stock inspector) prosecutins. ILLEGAL NETTING

On the information of the North X!anterbury Acclimatisation Society (Mr M. J. Gresson). Claude Wilfred Joy, who pleaded guilty, was convicted and ordered to pay costs on a charge of illegal netting in the Kaiapoi riven Mr Gresson said that Joy seemed to persist in the practice, this being his third offence since 1934. Joy’s explanation was that he was getting the fish for his wife, who was ill. He was on sustenance. The Magistrate, to Joy: One day you will get the maximum fine of £SO. FRUIT UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION A fine of £6 and an order for the payment of costs was imposed on Francis Feaver, 122 Armagh street, who pleaded guilty to having exposed for sale fruit, which was not fit for human consumption. ~ Senior-Inspector T. Pargeter. for the Health Department, said that Feaver was convicted for the same offence. last November. For Feaver, Mr A. C. Brassington said that one of his assistants was on holiday and he was called away on the day of the offence* so that he was not able to devote the time to take the bad fruit out of the Magistrate pointed out that there was a maximum penalty of £2OO for such an offence.

MILK NOT UP TO STANDARD Jack Douglas McGregor, of Woolston, pleaded not guilty to a charge of haying sold milk which was not up to standard, maintaining that the ftutK from which samples were taken had been in the hands of the buyer, a large dairy firm, for some time. Pointing out that he was the supplier the Magistrate fined McGregor £lO and ordered the payment of costs. A fine of 20s and an order for coijts was imposed on Frances Kate McEwan of Addington, for haying sold milk which was not up to standard. Pleading not guilty, defendant said she bought the milk each evening, and on the occasion of the test. lt was apparently stale next morning. she dld think she was responsible for early staleness due to the milk not having been properly cooled before she bought Christopher Thorpe, of Linwood (Mr W. R. Lascelles), pleaded guilty to having sold milk containing less '•han 33 per cent, of milk fat. For the Health Department, it was stated that the milk had apparently been skimmed Counsel said that the deficiency only .25 per cent, was caused by the defendant’s three grade cows being all in calf A hundred tests had been made in the course of the last 27 years, and defendant’s milk had never previously been at fault. A fine of £2 and costs was imposed. . . . „ For having sold milk containing added water. Spencer Mechen, of St. Albans, was fined £5 and ordered to pay costs. It was stated that .an analysis showed 9 per cent, of water Mr H. W. Hunter, who appeared for Mechen- and pleaded guilty, said his client could not account for the water as he had followed his normal procedure and other tests in the past had always been satisfactory. The cases were brought by the Health Department. LABOUR DEPARTMENT CASES Kenneth Stewart McCallum, a grocer, 136 Waltham road, pleaded not guilty to having failed to close his shop at 12.30 p.m. on the statutory half-holiday. For the Labour Department, it was stated that there was access from the sweet shop to the grocery shop, the front door of which was shut. Stating that the breach was a technical one. the Magistrate fined McCallum 10s and ordered him to pay costs. Charged with having employed six assistants after noon on the statutory half-holiday, Frederick Leonard Knowles, a fishmonger, 134 Armagh street, pleaded not guilty. For the Labour Department, it was stated that the assistants were cleaning out the shop. Counsel for Knowles (Mr A. C Perry) said the cleaning was finished and the men were putting on their coats and leaving the premises when the inspectors called. Knowles was convicted and ordered to pay costs.

Selwyn Sawmills, Ltd. (Mr F. P. Hill) was charged with having failed to comply with the requisition of an inspector to provide efficient and suitable accommodation for workers. Mr Hill said the request for improved accommodation had been met and those for the supply of water and for proper drainage were receiving attention but were presenting difficulties. A fine of 20s and costs was imposed. The cases were brought by Mr S. E. McGregor for the Labour Department.