FOOD REGULATIONS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2030, 17 August 1920, Page 7

FOOD REGULATIONS.

CHARGES AGAINST VENDORS. MAGISTRATE'S COURT CASES, Several charges under "The Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1908," were heard in the Magistrate's Court today, before Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M. The informations were laid by Richard James McKcnzie, inspector for the Public Health Department, and Mr \Y. M. Hamilton prosecuted. "Egg" Baking Powder.

1 The firm of T. J. Edmonds, Ltd., Aldwin's Road, Christchurch, was charged with having sold to IT. B. Low and Co., baking powder bearing a misleading statesment inasmuch as there was embossed on the package ian egg-shaped impression bearing the word "egg, implying the presence of egg or the equivalent of egg. Mr Hamilton, slated that under the regulations of September 25,1919, "egg" shall not be written on any ■package containing baking powder. In the previous regulations it was not considered an offence. There was a provision made that so long as , it was stated on a package that the contents did not contain any of the nutritive properties of egg, there was no olfence, but it was found that such information was printed in a place where it could not be seen until after a purchase had been made. So it was decided eventually to prohibit the use of the word "egg." , Mr T. 'Williams, in formally pleading guilty, said thaMhe department had objected to the use of the "egg" label, ami the firm had destroyed 149,000 labels and the dies for them. The embossing of the lids of the firm's tins was discontinued in May last. An explanation of the offence was that some of the embossed "egg" lids became mixed with the new ones. There had been no attempt to defeat the law. Defendant was convicted, fined £l, and ordered to pay the costs. Alleged Faulty Cream. The Christchurch Dairy Company, 51 Tuam Street, Christchurch, was charged with having sold to Richard J. McKenzie cream containing bicarbonate of soda, the addition of which was prohibited. A plea of not guilty was entered. Mr Hamilton stated that the regulations set a certain standard for cream which must not contain a foreign substance. The- cream sold by defendant was analysed and found to contain sodium salts equivalent to 0.25 parts per centum of sodium bicarbonate. Richard James McKcnzie stated that "on June 21 he visited the premises of the Christchurch Dairy Co., in Tuam Street, where he purchased a sample of cream. A label was attached to the bottle saying that a preservative had been added. He knew that the company was in the habit of adding sodium bicarbonate. The department recognised only pure cream. Mr A. F. Wright, for the defendant company, contended that no offence had been committed according to Section 12, Sub-section 1, of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act. Bicarbonate of soda was a harmless substance and was in daily use. The purchaser had been informed of the addition to the cream. The Magistrate reserved his decision. Short-Weight Bread. Frederick W. Collins, baker, 78 Edgeware Road, Christchurch, was charged with having sold bread represented as weighing 21b, whereas its weight was lib 15oz. Defendant pleaded guilty. Mr H. D. Andrews, for defendant, stated that a good deal of the bread was burned. It was trimmed, and, as the trimming was done in a hurry, some of the bread was turned out light. In excess of his powers under the Act, the inspector stopped defendant's cart in the street and compelled him to sell bread in the street. Also, in excess of his powers, be weighed*other bread in the cart. Mr Hamilton quoted from the Act to show that the inspector acted within his powers. Defendant was convicted, fined 1.3, and ordered to pay the costs.