CHARGE AGAINST MILKMAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19804, 5 December 1938, Page 6

CHARGE AGAINST MILKMAN

BOTTLE FILLED AT VAN FlliST CASE IN GISBORNE PINE INFLICTED For not carrying out the regulations under the Health Act relating to the sale of milk in bottles, a milkman, Gerald Samgon, was lined £2 and costs £1 Ills this morning by Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M.. in the Magistrate’s Court. The complainant was the Gisborne borough sanitary inspector, Air. John Lawther (Mr. ill. D. C'hrisp), and Mr. ,1. ,S. Wauchop appeared lor the defendant. It was explained by Mr. Chrisp that milk sold by means of the bottle system was to be distributed strictly in accordance with regulations requiring that the bottles be cleaned with a special apparatus, filled, and capped with a special cap disc on the dairyman's premises. The defendant had olfended because he had been one bottle short in an order and, believing that the bottle was not required Tor resale but only for the consumption oil' the shop owner, had filled a bottle at the van when approached by the inspector.

In asking that the fullest publicity should be given to the case, Mr. Chrisp stressed the point that such a practice must be discontinued. The case had been taken to warn all milk vendors of tlie position. iMr. Chrisp said that no fault could be found with the defendant's farm and dairy conditions. He explained that it was not only an offence to use a bottle that had not been sterilised, but also to fill a bottle with milk on the roadside from a vendor’s cart or van.

Mr. Wauchop said he appreciated the fair manner in which the case had been put before the court, and lie understood that it had been brought mainly as a warning. Samson arrived at a customer’s shop and was one short of the required number of sealed bottles. He had selected from the bottles returned from the supply of tl'e day before one bottle that was still warm from the washing it had received from a customer. He filled it with the intention of taking it to the shop and explaining that it should be used only for the customer’s consumption and not be resold. It was then that the inspector arrived. The defendant had not capped the bottle and had not had any intention of doing so. Mr. Wauchop said that he would personally vouch for the cleanliness of the dairy.