Butchers Fined For Not Having Enough Meat in Sausages

Grey River Argus, 28 October 1948, Page 5

Butchers Fined For Not Having Enough Meat in Sausages

PA. INVERCARGILL, Oct. 27. Four city butchers were convicted in the Magistrate’s Court by Mr. W. A. Harlow, S.M., on charges of seiling sausages with a lower percentage of meat content than is allowed by the Regulations, or with too high a percentage of preservative substance. , , .. , The informations were laid by the Health Department and the defendants were Albert Hall Thomson; Alexander Innes Milne; Robert Alexander Scott; and Charles William Scott and Wilson, Mr I A. Arthur said that the prosecutions were the aftermath of the rationing regulations, and they would not occur now that rationing had been lifted. Wilson and Scott had been dependent for meat for the sausages on a surplus of rationed m< Th e y were between three fires. The Rationing Department had told them the Department was anxious to increase the production and consumption of sausages, so as to decrease the consumption of rationed meat. The customers were disappointed that they could not obtain sausages, and, on the other hand, there was the Health Department, which laid down a regulation insisting on 65 per cent, of meat in sausages. Mr. Arthur said that there was no question of financial profit to the defendants, because of the high price paid for the meat and other ingredients, which went into the sausages. Now that meat was unrationed, the defendants were adding more than sufficient meat to their sausages, and if an analysis was made now, it would be found that there was more than 65 per cent, of meat in the sausages. Thompson was charged with having an excess of preservative, and was ordered to pay costs £4 3s 6d. Milne, on the same charge, was convicted and ordered to pay costs £2 12s. On a charge of having a meat deficiency, he was fined £2 10s, and ordered to pay costs £5 4s 6d. Scott, on an excess preservative charge, was ordered to pay costs £5 2s 6d, and. on the other, was fined £1 and ordered to pay costs £2 12s. "Wilson, for having too small a percentage of meat, was fined £1 5s and ordered to nav costs £5 4s.