SHORT-WEIGHT BREAD

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13895, 22 October 1918, Page 6

SHORT-WEIGHT BREAD

BAKING WITH WOOD AND COAL. At the Police Court, Hamilton, yesterday, before Mr E. Haw son, Charles (iibson (Mr J. Wyndham Hopkins) was charged that on September 9 he did sell to Inspector Bennett, a loaf of bread, the weight of which at the time of sale was eight drachms less than the seller represented it to be. Inspector Bennett gave evidence as to the purchase of the loaf, which was weighed in the shop _by defendant's son and stated by him to be 41b. He then set up his own scales in the shop und found the loaf to be £oz. short. Mr Hopkins then entered a plea of guilty and stated that the matter was due to the fact that the defendant was unable to procure coal and had to do the baking with wood, which necessitated that it remained longer in the oven, the evaporation thus being greater. ->••• Defendant gave evidence along these lines, and stated that it was the first time he had been charged, though the inspector had frequently weighed bib bread.

W. H. Mahon, an independent baker, •and —. Hunt, who baked the batch in question, also testified that wood was not so satisfactory a fuel as coal, the former being a flush heat, that of coil being solid, the consequence being greater evaporation. Hunt stated that when baking with wood he allowed 6oz. for evaporation on the 41b loaf, as against 4oz. with coal. The magistrate stated he was satisfied that it was not a case for a heavy penalty, though a conviction must follow. The only safe course for a baker was to weigh every loaf before selling it, as Cue public were entitled to full weight, and this could not be assured by any other methods. A line of 20s with 7s costs was imposed.