LIGHT BREAD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14980, 28 April 1909, Page 5

LIGHT BREAD.

Sixteen bakers and storekeepers appeared before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, charged on the information of the Inspector of Health with having sold bread, the weight of which was less than th'e seller represented it to be. Mr Stringer, K. 0., stated that the informations were laid under Section 26 of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act of last year, which now placed the administration of such matters in the hands of the District Health Officers, instead of, as formerly, with the Inspector of Weights and Measures. The Magistrate: That accounts, then, for the activity on the part of the prosecution. ' i Mr Stringer: Proceedings have been instituted before under the old statute for the same offence. x

The Magistrate: Very few. All the defendants who appeared pleaded guilty. In the case of storekeepers, it was admitted that they were not on quite the same footing as bakers, although, of course, they were unquestionably liable to the public. The excuses put forward are varied, 6ueh as evaporation of the broad after leaving the ovens, dry ovens, and various classes of dough used in making bread. It was stated that it was customary in the trade to allow 21b 3oz of dough for a 21b loaf, and 41b 6oz in the case of 41b loaves, but it was found in practioe that different batches of bread baked and. weighed in the dough under similar conditions varied considerably in weight after being cooked. Mr Stringer said that although the shortages in weight w"ere not very severe, varying from half an ounce per loaf up to, in the worst case 6oz in a 41b loaf, when considered individually, but when aggregated they amounted to a great deal. He said that if the shortage in the cases before the Court were taken as a. fair average, the bakers in Christchurch wore levying a, tax of at least £SOOO a year on the unfortunate consumers. ' Mr Stringer facetiously remarked that if persons were convicted in ancient times for such an offence they would have had their ears clipped off. The Magistrate rejoined that the Crown Prosecutor had apparently been dipping into history. The Magistrate said he did not think

the storekeepers should be treated as equally responsible with the bakers, but it must be understood that in future they must see to it that they get proper weight from the bakers who supply them. The following storekeepers wore fined 10s and costs:—Joseph Ashcroft (Mr Hoban), Louisa Beegan, Joseph Booth (Mr Rowe), Alfred Cook, "Walter llenrv Dixon, Ella Radcliffe (Mr Rowe) and F. Alexander (Mr Ritchie). The same penalty was imposed on Andrew Schumacher and Mrs Frederick Schumacher, bakers. Frederick Williams, Andrew Black and John Thomas Cook were each fined 20s and costs. Daniel Franklin, Richard Sunderland and Charles W. Newbery, in whoso cases larger discrepancies in weisht were recorded, were each fined 60s and costs. James Hiron. who did not sppear, was fined SOs and costs.