COMPANY FINED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26531, 5 August 1947, Page 8

COMPANY FINED

A RATIONING BREACH EXCESSIVE SUPPLIES OF CHEESE “Because of the difficulties of supply and the fact that the cheese factories have to carry on inside this quota, 24 cheese factories in Otago and Southland have ceased production altogether,” said Mr A. Q, Stephens, in the City Police Court yesterday when he was appearing for the Omimi Dairy Factory Company, Ltd., which was charged on three counts under the Rationing Emergency Regulations. 1944. Counsel entered plea'fc of guilty on all counts. Mr J. D. Willis. S.M. was on the Bench. The charges were one of supplying cheese in excess and two of supplying cheese without a permit. For the Crown. Mr J. B. Deaker said Ihat under the regulations, which were based on the 1943 figures of production.- the quantities of cheese to be supplied for local consumption had been in excess of the, quota. The main purpose of the regulations was to increase the quantifies of cheese available for food for Britain. It was difficult for factories to carry on inside the fixed quota. Mr Stephens said. So far as the Omimi factory was concerned, 1943 had been a bad year for cheese output, and the company was at present faced with the decision whether it would break the law or go out of existence. The authorities had evidently allowed factories to go over the 1943 quota, but Omimi had gone too far over the margin and had been prosecuted. “ There has been no deception and accurate figures have been supplied for the export and local market.” Mr Stephens said. The magistrate fined the company £ 10 and costs on the charge of supplying cheese in excess and £5 and costs on each of the two charges of supplying cheese without a permit. The total costs amounted to £3 11s.