MOUSE IN BREAD

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23881, 25 February 1943, Page 6

MOUSE IN BREAD

BAKERY FIRM PROSECUTED FINE OF £2O IMPOSED A fine of £2O was imposed by Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M.. in the Magistrates Court yesterday, when Sunderland Brothers, Ltd., bakers, were prosecuted by the Health Department for selling bread that was not fit for human consumption. . Mr A. W. Brown appeared for the department, and the defendants, who pleaded guilty, were represented by Mr A. F. Wright. Mr Brown said that on January 4 the defendants had delivered to St. Saviour’s Orphanage a supply of white bread. When a loaf of this bread was being cut at the table the following morning brie'bf the girls found a mouse ii it. The Health Department had later sent an inspector to the defendants bakehouse where it was explained that because of a breakdown in the machinery the flour . had not been sieved but, from the sacks, had been put straight into the mixer. Mr Brown said that the company enjoyed a good reputation. Mr Wright said that never before had there been such a happening in the history of, a well-known firm. Each night the company handled two and a half to three tons of flour and the mistake was solely a result of a breakdown in the machinery—a break-down so serious that it could not be fixed by the men at work. He said that few of ' the bakery firms in Christchurch sieved the flour before mixing. It could be assumed that with a big stock of flour being kept in reserve as a war measure no amount of care and cleanliness could prevent an accident such as this happening. Charles Edward Boon, president of the Master Bakers’ Association, and F. H. Hawker, said that the bakers had been requested by the Government to carry extra stocks in case of emergency. The breakdown in the machinery appeared to be the sole reason for the unfortunate happening. After the break-down in the machinery it would be almost impossible to sieve such a quantity of flour by hand. In evidence it was said that the St. Saviour’s Orphanage authorities had applied to the City Council for permission to change their baker, but this was refused.

"Rather drastic,” commented the Magistrate.