MILK VENDOR CHARGED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17158, 7 October 1926, Page 12

MILK VENDOR CHARGED

11 PER CENT. OF WATER MAGISTRATE'S WARNING(SpeciaI to the Herald.) WAIROA, this day. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday before Mr. E. C. Levvey, S.M., James Helean (Mr. F. Jones), pleaded not guilty to :i charge of having sold to J. M. Swain, an inspector for the Department of Health, a pint of milk not complying with the standard, as it contained eleven per cent, of added water..

Mr. Swaiu stated that on the day in question he purchased the milk showing eleven per cent, of added water, he got it from a can brought by defendant's daughter. The sample was above the standard in butter-fat, but below in the other respect. Generally speaking the milk supplied by the defendant was satisfactory, and among the best. The defendant, giving details of the milking, said the water was taken down in the morning in one can for cleansing purposes, and when the separator bowl was filled the early morning customers got their supply, and what was left was put into a can for five other customers. What he thought had happened was that the milk was put into the can with, the water in it. He used great care in his dairy, had good stock tested every year. He had io cut out a i'i'w customers in June, but in August lie had plenty of milk, and was feeding eleven dairy heifers. Mi-. Swain to]/] him the department said he must lake a sample every month. Flis Worship said these prosecutions were taking place all over New Zealand for the protection of public health, and the lives of children. The Court looked on the offence as serious. He would have no hesitation in the case of a deliberate and wilful infringement of the law to impose a substantial penalty. In this ease there was an offence disclosed, but it was difficult to say how it came about; probably as suggested by the defendant, in which enso a fine of £2 would meet it. with costs, 7s. He would issue a warning that in the ease of wilful or deliberate breaches of the Act a heavy penalty would be imposed.