BUTTER IN MILK CANS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 December 1927, Page 5

BUTTER IN MILK CANS.

DECLARED AS EMPTIES. A DAIRY' COMPANY FINED. (by TELEGRAPH—press ASSOCIATION.! GISBORNE, Dec. 15. A ease of considerable interest to farmers and dairy companies came before Mr. Levvy, S.M., to-day, when the Olcitu Dairy Company was charged with making false declarations in regard to goods delivered to the railway station, two cream cans that were declared to be empty being found to contain butter. One can addressed to a farmer at Waikohu was found to contain seven pounds of butter and tiie second can, addressed to another farmer at Waikohu, contained four pounds of butter.

'Counsel for the Railway Department said that, under the regulations the department carried full cans to the factories for a stipulated charge, returning the '‘empties” free. Among the cans returned as empties on November 21 was one addressed to a farmer which as usual contained a brass tablet stating that it was empty. As there was no one present at the Waikohu station tr take charge, the guard moved it and finding it neavy, removed the lid and found seven .pounds of butter inside. ■A similar offence took place on December 3, the can being addressed to another farmer and being found to contain four pounds of butter. The department regarded the matter as serious and had reason to suspect the practice had been carried on for some time, but it was difficult, to detect.. Ho asked for a substantial penalty. 'Counsel for the company said the company recently changed its carter, who conveyed the cans to the station, and he had been given instructions that where butter or other goods were returned in cans it must be stated on a separate consignment note. These instructions, so far as was knoivn, -were carried out. There had been no complaint by the department that the carter was not filling in the necessary consignment notes. The company gained nothing by evading payment for excess of goods, as the railage charged on the butter would be debited to the man supplied. 'Counsel for the department, said that previous to these offences the department had warned the carter.

On the first charge defendant was fined £5 and costs and on the second charge £1 and costs, with counsels’ fees of £2 2s and £1 Is on the two charges.