WOULDN'T KILL A RAT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 150, 26 June 1943, Page 6

WOULDN'T KILL A RAT

PA. ' AUCKLAND, June 25. Much was heard of rats, and poisons in the ■ Magistrate's Court today when George Aubrey Hatch, manufacturer, was charged before Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., that, with intent to defraud he attempted on March 26 to obtain 2s 6d from another man by 'falsely representing . that a certain mixture contained poison-and-would kill rats. ; The pre-paration-was called "Rat-a-Fix.' 1 The Magistrate, after hearing the evidence, said that the defendant's "explanation was unsatisfactory and fined, him £10. The police evidence showed that complaints had been made about the rat preparation, and the Health Department made inquiries. An investigation showed there was, no poison in it. When Hatch was questioned, he said rats would not be affected unless they got water afterwards. The Government analyst,' Mr. K. .M. Griffin, said he examined the preparation and fed a rat on ;tfqr'five, days without its suffering ill effects. Hatch in evidence said he had been dealing in rat poisons for 25 years..Fat and phosphorus were used in ''Rat-a-Fix.''