PUTRID TINNED MEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

PUTRID TINNED MEAT.

SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT, At Lambeth Police Court, a few days ago, Frederick Gordon Hurl-ridge and Granvilio Hartridge. trading as "Hart-ridge 8r05.," at l'enarth-strcct, Old Kent Road, appeared to answer an adjourned summons taken out by Inspector Homer, on behalf of the Cainberwell vestry, complaining that on February 20 they had deposited cn their premises for the purpose of preparation for sale a quantity of meat, to wit, certain putrid sheep's hearts, 56 large tins of potted meat, eight hams, and a tray containing pieces of putrid meat and poultry bones—which was unwholesome and unfit- for tho food of man. There was a second summons in respect of about 5000 small tins of potted meat. Tho ease arose out of a visit which Inspector Horner paid to the premises of defendants, who were sUited to bo manuf.i'Jtuivrs of tinned meats. For the defence, Dr. G. D. Knight, of Brixton Road, stated that on March 7, in company with Dr. Scott, lie examined a tin of potted ham and tongue sealed with tho seals of the Camberwell vestry, and found the meat perfectly sound. Mr. J. 11. Milligan, a cheesemonger, said the defendant bought eight American hams from him on February 17. The hams who then perfect- They had been left over fr< m the Christmas trade. Ho Lad seen hams two, three, and four years old. The defendants had shown him a tin of corned beef. It was sound. Cross-examined: He charged threepence per pound for the hams. ! . Mr. Frederick G. Hartridge, one of tho! defendants, was called, and said his brother • and himself had carried on the business for a j ear and nine months, Amongst other things, tho witness stated that- what had been described as a tray of putrid meat and bones simply contained boiled rico flour. In cioss-examination the witness said he w as certain no chicken hones were found on the premises, Mr. Marsham! But you make potted chicken:

Witness: Yes; but wo don't make it out of chicken, sir. (Laughter.) Questioned by the magistrate, tho witness said they had about 10,000 tins of potted meat on die premises. Their output averaged from 20 to 25 gross of tins per week, lliey were manufactured for oxport, and the price ranged from 16s 6d to er P°f The potted meats were made of corned beef, boiled bacon, boiled rice, flour, margarine, and sundry spices. The chicken, ham, and tongue were flavourings. Mr. Granville Hartridge, the other doferdant, was also examined, and explained that the trade which the firm carried on in steeps hearts was distinct from the manufacture of the tinned meats. He said that the firm had never received a single 3^r othequaiit^fte p- . Mr. Hopkins, at the close of a long hearm {, said he was sorry that he was not able to do anything to get the defendants out of the smous position into which they had paced themselves. The impression which the case left upon his mind was that the defendants were fairly caught making up all sorts of putrid meat into every sort of "rj if i , *' ict "' ere strictly an-1 pliod, tte defendants bad made themselves liable to penalties amounting to thousands of pounds. It was a case, however, in which he felt himself absolutely unable to fine, and each. of. the defendants would Lave to go to hard labour for torn months. Tho necessary sureties for the prosecution of an appeal at the Sessions having been ten--1 4 accepted, ihe defendants -were