FINES OF £30

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 126, 28 May 1920, Page 8

FINES OF £30

A DISGUSTING PRACTICE

UNLAWFUL SLAUGHTERING OF

CALVES.

Very serious allegations regarding thd supply of foodstuffs to certain butchers were made by Thomas Charles Webb, art inspector under the Agricultural Department, during the heariifg of cases against John Telford, a dairyman at Kaiori, and William Ernest Hull, dairyman at Miramar. Both were charged with having slaughtered calves for human consump-■ tion at other than a registered abattoir, i and having killed and dressed calves, weighing less than 601b apiece, for human consumption. "This is a disgusting business," said the Inspector, "which .has been going on in Wellington for some considerable time, and it is a very difficult matter to catch offenders." He went on to say that he had heard that dur,ing the spring the offspring of cows which had died during calving had been, brought into town by certain persons and disposed of for human consumption. The Department aaked that a severe'penalty should' 1 I be imposed. ' Mr. J. M. Dale, who appeared for Telford, entered a plea of guilty, but assured the Court that Telford had nob previously offended. . As a" rule he killed: and buried lia calTes ; bat. as a pork butcher had told him once or twice that he could do with calves, he decided not! to bury the carcases mentioned in the, charges against him, and had taken them, to a butcher. At this stage the case ag-aissi Telfordi was adjourned till Monday, i;i cvdsr that the defendant may appsar to give) evidence. Hull also pleaded guilty, b-j'i stated that he had not previously taken calves to a pork butcher's shop. "Where did you find thia oarcaae?" asked Mr. 2. Page, S.I/!.—"At a shop kepi by Merrill and Co., in Ridaiiordstreet," answered the Inspector. "What made you think of taking t'.ia carc&se to the buicher'c ?" asked the Magistrate.—"l was going" to town, and •took ii in oh chance. Ai foci the butcher did not wans to tak-3 is, but 2 encouraged him." The Inspector held that xhs weight of the cali (321b) led him to believe that it was newly-born, but Hull maintained that it was four or five days old. "Is the butcher being charged with f.:x ovfencs?" asked the Magistrate of the Inspector.—"Not yet, that matter'l3 not in my hands" wa3 th& reply. A fine of £20 was imposed on the fir3t charge and a Sne of £10 upon the seci ond. ■