Inspection of butcheries

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33068, 8 November 1972, Page 16

Inspection of butcheries

Sir, —What has become of the inspectors of butchers’ shop windows, etc? On inspection around Christchurch, I have found that 90 per cent are breaking the law, yet you never hear of any prosecutions. The main fault is cooked meats in the same compartments as the fresh. They are then open to contamination. This does not refer to smoked saveloys, as they still have to be cooked. Also there is the matter of prices. Each bit of meat must be priced at so much a pound, or labelled and a price list displayed in the window. There are also many other things: foreloin chops mixed with the Spanish neck ones and the odd shoulder chop mixed with leg ones. These are only some of the things that the inspectors are paid for, apart from protecting the public.—Yours, etc., G. A. SIMPSON. October 31, 1972. [Mr A. P. Millthorpe, Chief City Health Inspector, replies: “Recent inspection in the city area has not shown many cases of failure to display cooked meat, etc., as required, and those found have been rectified on request by the inspector. Legal action would be warranted only for continued failure after due warning has been given. Prices and price lists do not come within this department’s jurisdiction.”]