A DIRTY DAIRY.

NZ Truth, Issue 65, 15 September 1906, Page 4

A DIRTY DAIRY.

Benge's Brutal Beastliness.

Weak Prosecution and Shamefully Inadequate Sentence.

At the S.M.s Court last week before Mr Riddell, S.M., Ernest David James Benge, a dairyman, of Ade-laide-road, was proceeded against by Inspector Doyle, of the City Council, for a breach of the by-laws m connection with unclean dairy premises.

Benge, who was represented by Mr Graham, pleaded guilty.

The inspector said that on August I 31 the Corporation officer inspected the premises m question and found' the conditions existing of such a na.ture that it was deemed advisable to call m the Chief Health Officer, Dr. Mason, who at once condemned about 300 gallons of milk. Inspector Doyle intimated that he would call Dr. Mason to 'give evidence, but Mr Graham succeeded m "talking out" this proposition, with the result that the doctor was not called.

According to the report made the dairy premises and utensils were m a filthy condition. Mr Graham, however, made a long statement the purport of which was that Benge had received a large supply of milk from a farmer, and that m order to preserve it, a man had been employed separating it by a hand separator, which was a long and tedious proceedure. The fat had been- strewn on the floor and Benge fbund that the man had neglected his work and left the place m an imciean condition.

The Magistrate animadverted on the fact that he had not been put m possession of the whole circumstanced and having ascertained ' that Benge had been warned on August 17 to keep his premises m a clean condition imposed a fine of £3 and costs.

It is most regrettable that Inspector Doyle allowed himself to be bluffed out of ftis good intention to have the Chief Health Officer heard m this matter, for nothing— not even Dr. Mason's bete noir, the quack— exerts such a -baleful influence on human and especially child life as poisonous milk. The Magistrate should have insisted on hearing Dr. Mason and so becoming seized of the full enormity of this wicked wretch Benge's offence. The man who knowingly sells decomposing filth, as milk, on which babes are fed, and which may bring disease and death to whole households, is infinitely a greater menace to the State than the man who yields to a sudden uncontrollable impulse and slays another. His deed ends with his own punishment, or at least goes no further than two families. The poison seller's crime is infinite m its ramifications, for the germs of tuberculosis never die, and whole generations may be tainted by the devilish germs spread from one milk jug. It is matter for severe comment, too, that the Magistrate should consider a" paltry fine of •£3 adequate to suoh a disgusting, callous, inexcusable offence as Benge's. It was not as though his reputation had previously been high. The fellow had beenwarned, only three weeks previous, that he had better mend his ways and keep his premises clean. Three pounds would be less than the profit on one day's run and, m face of the fearful disclosures as to filth and its consequences to human life and wellbeing, that have lately been shocking £he whole world, the fine, m the case of a convict&tl unscrupulous wholesale- poisoner like Benge, was simply farcical.