WRONG MAN CHARGED

Grey River Argus, 14 February 1946, Page 8

WRONG MAN CHARGED

'MEAT CASE DISMISSED. , James Cargill (Mr M. B. Scully) 5 pleaded not guilty in the Westport Court yesterday to having supplied traders, James Ward and W. P. ? Hawkins, with meat, contrary to the Rationing Regulations, 1942. ,• Ward and Hawkins had been fined for receiving the meat concerned, I said Sergeant T. Matthews. Cargill , was manager of the Municipal Abattoirs. The offences of the traders " were facilitated by Cargill’s careless- , ness. Managers of abattoirs had copies of the Regulations. • The meat was the butchers’ own meat, killed at the abattoirs, Mr Scully pointed out. Cargill had signed an authority to ’ supply meat, the Sergeant continued. He was the owners’ manager, and I liable accordingly. He had committed a breach of Regulation 10, in that he had supplied meat without a permit. • Mr Raymond Ferner. S.M.; The case depends on the definition of “owner”.' Mr Scully said butchers were compelled by borough bye-laws to have meat killed at the abattoirs, and the abattoirs never at any time owned the meat. Regulation 15 (a) covered this, but did not define the “owner of a slaughterhouse”. Therefore, Cargill not being an owner, was not liable. Further, it was not admitted that Carbill was even manager. He was an employee of the Department of Agriculture, and the Borough Council paid ■ the Department a certain amount for I Cargill’s work in compiling statutory I returns. The Borough Council had no control over Cargill. The Council should have been charged with the alleged offence. . John Rayner, assistant' Town Clerk, verified that Cargill was not subject to the Council’s control. Cargill prepared statutory returns under arrangement with his Department. “Amazing,” said the Magistrate. “Who is the manager?” asked the Sergeant. “There is none,” said Rayner. “Cargill grades and examines meat as the Department’s meat inspector. The Borough Council has no representative at the abattoir, but a Council Committee controls it.” The Magistrate • said he proposed not to convict. Cargill’s position at the abattoir was at least indefinite.

LIQUOR AFTER HOURS. Margaret Nelson Cunningham (Mr M. B. Scully), licensee of the Cosmopolitan Hotel, pleaded guilty in the Westport Court yesterday, to having supplied liquor after hours on January 19. This was admitted to be the second case within six months, and the accused was fined £l2, with costs 10s.