SALE OF STRAWBERRIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 14

SALE OF STRAWBERRIES.

PROSECUTION AS SEQUEL.

DISMISSAL OF CASE.

Following the sale of a chip of strawberries on December 27, Clement Ah Chee, managing director of Ah Chee, Limited, fruiterers and greengrocers, was charged in the Police Court yesterday with selling unwholesome fruit. Mr. McLiver entered a. plea of not guilty, and after tho hearing of lengthy evidence tho magistrate, Mr. W. R. McKean, dismissed the case.

Police evidence showed that a chip of strawberries had been bought by a man. When he had eaten tho top layer he found that the lower layers were not in a fit state to eat. The price of the chip had been 9d. Defendant said that the strawberries had been purchased at the city markets between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. When buying crates of the berries retailers were able to see only tho top layer of chips, and if they were buying a number of crates they could see only one crate. Tho price paid for the chip complained of was that for tho cheapest strawb.errics sold that day. "In tho case of most fruit it would not be difficult for shopkeepers to know tho condition of the fruit they wero buying, but in the case of strawberries in crates it is impossible to examine every chip that conies into the shop," said the magistrate. "In this instance the weather had been bad and under the circumstances it would bo unfair to convict anyone. The person who bought such berries would no doubt be able to recover tho sum he paid, but to convict tho seller would be most unfair." Tho caso was dismissed-