TINS OF JAM

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 19, 22 July 1925, Page 9

TINS OF JAM

14OZ OR ILB ?

A TRADE PRACTICE CONDEMNED

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES BILL.

Why should a lib tin of jam contain only 14oz? That was a point thrashed out at some length in the House of Representatives last night.

When the Weights and Measures Bill was being considered in Committee, Mr. J. A. Lee (Auckland East) said he thought that net weights should be specified on goods sold in containers. It too often happened that housewives bought lib tins of jam which contained only 14oz, and that practice should end. Mr. R. M'Keen (Wellington South) mentioned the came point, and said that he failed to see how the provision requiring weighing, or measuring instrument* to be kept exposed to publio view would work out in practice in ihops where goods were made up in bulk in back stores.

Mr. R. Masters (Stratford) agreed with Mr. M'Keen, and particularly mentioned oils and coal as commodities where trouble would arise. '-

Mr. W. J. Girling (Wairau) thought the clause should be either amended or struck out.

The Minister of Labour (the Hon. G. J; Anderson) said the object of ths clause was to protect the public. He could see that difficulties might arise, but if the House would pass the clause he would have inquiries made with the object of amending it in the Legislative Council so as to provide that the seller would have to satisfy the purchaser as to the weight of the good* on being asked to' do bo. In reply to Bir John Luke (V7ellington North), the Minister consented to see that no hardship was caused to shipping people in the matter of bunkering by the clause providing that charcoal, coal, coke, and other goods should be sold by weight and tot by measure. Sir John said that ships were bunkered by measure now.

"NO CONFIDENT TRICK' 1 Discussing the point' raised by liir. Lee, Mr. Masters said that the public did not ask for a lib of jam, but if they did they would have to pay for the extra 2oz, because the tins were properly marked now. He .could not ace that any " confidence trick" was being worked as alleged by Mr. Lee. The Minister promised Mr. Masteri that clause 20, stipulating that goods should be sold by net weight or measure should apply to wholesalers as well v retailers.

Labour members contended that the Bill should specifically etate that a lib tin of goods actually contained that quantity, and not merely 14oz. The Minister said that clause 20 was for the protection of the public, but he did not think that they should go any further at the present time. Ha considered that the clause should bs passed v it stood. vThe law could be amended in the future if found necessary, but the clause was a considerable advance.

Mr. "Masters, said that the point did not matter very much. People would not have to pay more than the actual weight of goods. If,* lib tin contained only 14oz, the-public were not charged for more than the ?.4oz. , If the law was Altered in the direction asked for, it woald mean that thousands of pounds •worth of machinery would have to ba scrapped. The clause was a sample of irritating legislation that the people were getting heartily eick of. He himself had been in business long enough to know that women could not be fooled when buying goods. Messrs. 0. J, Hawken (Egmont) and J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) agreed that the public should* be protected, and said that traders should be honest. Mr. Hawken considered that at present there was too "much trickery in the sale of goods by [weight. Proper-sized containers should be provided, even if new. machinery had to t>e provided. Sab-section 1 of clause 20 wai amended to apply to wholesalers as well as retailers. .

. BY ACTUAL WEIGHT Membert continued to urge that goodt should be cold by their actual weight, even if it did entail alterations in machinery. Mr. A. L. Monteith (Wellington East) instanced bread as a commodity that had to be sold at the proper weight, and said he could not see why a differentiation ihould be made in th* case of jam. ■ ■, Mr. W. A. Veitch. (Wanganui) sympathlsed with the view, but said it wai undesirable to fix an arbitrary line because many goods sold in container* were manufactured in countries wher* the weight! and measures standards differed from thoue in New Zealand. Sub-cltaie 2 was altered to provide that every person delivering to any purchaser at any place other than the premises of the seller any goods so cold should forthwith deliver or send to th« purchaser an invoice or delivery not* showing the net weight or measure of the goods. Mr. M'Keen moved an amendment ta sub-clause 3 that packages should contain not less than definite weights, of lib,. or multiples or fractions of lib. The Minister could not accept th« amendment, promising to go into th« matter during. the recess and obtain the advice of an expert from the Old Country. In New South Wales there was a law providing 'that the net weight or measure of packed goods should be stated on the package, and it worked < splendidly. ;.. The amendment was defeated on th« voices, and the clause was passed. In regard to the clause requiring weights and measures to have tie contents marked, the Minister stated in reply to Mr. Lysnar that stamping rf.d verification haa been in force for 20 years. The Department was not throwing oat any r weights and measures 8* long as they' did what they were represented to do.

Thei Bill was reported with amend, ments, and the House rose at 11.23, p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-day.