MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 16852, 21 December 1916, Page 4

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

TWO GROCERS FINED.

At the Magistrate's Court Tester* day before Mr. 'L. G. Hewitt, S.M.; two weil-known local firms we« fined for haying sold short-weight butter. . "■■•

The first/case was against John; Kernohan, of Wanganui* r groc«/r, charged wi^h having sold shortweight butter1. '!.-:•. ...■:"■

Mr. Cohen, who appeared for de-v fendant, said that technically his client was guilty because.' he hadl sold the butter jiust as it had been/ received from the factory, and as the factory had been convicted for • having sold the butter his client had no option in the m&tter. Mr. Ker-, nohan had not the slightest intention/ of defrauding the public. A fine oft 20s was imposed. ■

"William Gibson, of the firm ofl Gibson and Pater&on, was similarly; charged and -Mr. Cohen entered ■% plea of not guilty on his behalf.

Senior Sergt. Burke, eaid thaH the \ Inspector called at Gibson and Paterson's shop and weighed lib, of butter and found it %oz. short., aft then weighed 6 lbs together an"ci~" found they weighed 2%-ozs." shorL

Thos. Pargeter, Inspector under) the Food and Drugs Act, said that on November 8 at about 2.40 p.m., accompanied by the Inspector of Weights and Measures, he went into, the shop of Gibson and Patterson's * and tested various brands of butter! j including the one produced marked'1 "G. and P." In witness's opinion the butter1 was on the cdunter fon sale. • ' -

To Mr. Cohen: He had been in Gibson and Paterson's on previous N occasions and had found their txuttei overweight. The time of his • VisU was on the afternoon of the day on which the Maoriland Dairy Co. war fined. , ••.■=•

Mr. Cohen contended that Gib-i' son did not have the butter in hft possession for sale. Farmers were in the habit of coming into the shop and placing their butter on the counter. The butter which was fofl sale on the counter was always weighed before it was sold. On account of Wednesday being a partieu-fj larly? busy day, the assistant (War-, ncr) had not had time to receive and weigh the butter concerned in flip prosecution. Farmers were not credited with having delivered but-t ter till it had been weighed. Gibson and Paterson were not out to make money out of short-weight but- J ter. This particular butter came from about 40 miles up the river, and in bringing it down that distance it naturally lost some of its moisture, and consequently it would probably be a little lighter on arrival. A flat of 20s was imposed.