MEAT SUBSTITUTIONS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3946, 31 May 1913, Page 9

MEAT SUBSTITUTIONS

RYDE BUTCHER CONVICTED

SUCCESSFUL NEW ZEALAND PROSECUTION.

LONDON, April 11

The grow'ing habit of meat substitution among home butchers —the selling of Argentine and other mutton to the customer who has asked for New Zealand —has at last received a check, and the High Commissioner and his officials are to be congratulated on the successful inauguration of their campaign in aid of justice for the New Zealand producer. At the Isle of Wight County Bench, at Ryde, on Tuesday, Sidney T. Leif ley, butcher. Shanklin, was summoned for a breach of the Merchandise Marks Act by selling River Plate mutton as New Zealand mutton. The Hon. T. Mackenzie and Mr Wray Palliser travelled specially to Ryde to watch the case on behalf of the New Zealand Government.

Mr J. Marsh, who prosecuted, said the alleged, offence was regarded as a somewhat serious one, as of the twelve million carcases of sheep and lamb that came into this counrty annually nearly half of that quantity was received I 'from New Zealand, which fit was claimed was the best the world produced. It was not fair to the honest trader, and it was unjust to the customer if the nature and quality of the article sold was not as represented.

MR. CAMERON’S' EVIDENCE. Mr Henry Charles Cameron, Produce Commissioner for the Dominion of New Zealand, said on the 11th March he went into defendant’s shop and asked the manager if he sold New Zeadand mutton; He said he did. Witness asked him to let him have a loin, which he cut from a carcase which he said was New Zealand mutton,'At witness’s request he made out a ticket on which he put “loin mutton,” and the weight and'price. Witness said as he asked for New Zealand mutton he wanted that put on the bill, and the manager complied. On 17th March he saw .defendant at the shop, and having told him of his purchase, he said it could not have been New Zealand mutton, as he had none, but that it was River. Plate meat. There were notices both inside and outside the shop that defendant sold Canterbury and New Zealand mutton. After his purchase he submitted the mutton to Messrs Wheeler and Lacey, who were experts in the colonial meat trade.

THE DEFENCE. Mr Grimshaw, Who appeared for the defence, said it was not disputed that the mutton was River Plate. In cross-examination Mr Cameron said there Was not such a trade term as “hew season’s mutton,” only “new season’s lamb.” Henry Pnagnell,'defendant’s manager, said the carcase, from which the joint was cut was labelled “new season’s mutton.” He did not say it was New Zealand mutton. When shown the ticket he had given Mr Cameron, witness at first suggested that it had been altered, but on being .cross-examined by Mr Marsh he modified this statement by saying it was not so plain as when he made it out. The Chairman (Mr G. H. Harrison) said the- Magistrates considered it ia serious case,, and defendant would bo fined £3 and costs 265.