BIG CREAM LOSS

Waipa Post, Volume 32, Issue 1949, 18 December 1926, Page 5

BIG CREAM LOSS

MACHINERY TAMPERED WITH. A few days ago a substantial loss of cream was reported from the Waharoa butter factory, someone having, during the night, disconnected the union of the pipe carrying the cream from the dried milk factory to the No. 1 vat in the butter factory. About £l5O worth of cream was thus allowed to escape. ■ Later the clips of a churn were undone, and this latter incident was the cause of an action in the Matamata Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, when two youths, whose names were ordered to be suppressed, were charged before Mr F. W. Platts, S.M., with having wilfully attemted to commit mischief. Detective Culloty detailed the circumstances, and said had the tampering with the churn not been discovered when it was £l5O worth of cream would have been lost. Counsel for the accused admitted that the youths had tampered with the churn only, but maintained that there was no such statutory offence as “ attempting to commit mischief.” As no cream had been lost, and no damage done, there was no case to answer. He was upheld by the magistrate, and the case was dismissed.