UNUSUAL CHARGE
PRICE FOR MEAL BREACH OF ORDER COMMITTED An unusual case'was heard before Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Hamilton, to-day. Florence Pearl Torpy, of the Regal Dining Rooms, was charged with a breach of the price order applying to a meal. The prosecution was conducted by Mr H.‘ T. Gillies for the Price Tribunal. Accused was represented by Mr W. J. King, who entered a plea of not guilty. Mr Gillies said that an inspector employed by the Price Tribunal, Miss A. C. Sullivan, of Auckland, visited the dining rooms at 12.10 p.m. on Monday, May 8, and for a meal which comprised two slices of bacon, one fried egg and 18 chips was charged 2s 6d. A waitress gave Miss Sullitvan a docket and she paid Mrs Torpy at tw£ 'cdbm'ter, 'informing her of her identity and pointing out that the price was a breach of the order. Miss Sullivan gave evidence along the lines detailed by Mr Gillies. Mr King said that during the past four years defendant had maintained the charges of 2s 6d for a meal with grills and 2s without. There was no provision in the price order for a three-course dinner with grills. Price Order Displayed
In evidence defendant said a price order was displayed on the wall in the dining rooms. June Prout, the waitress who served the inspector, told the court she did not discuss the cost of the meal with her.
“The defendant must be convicted,” said the magistrate in imposing a fine of £2. “The price order fixes the price for a meal. The inspector ordered a meal covered by the price order, the fixed price being 2s. It may be quite true that the defendant was putting on a better meal than shown under the price order.” There was no intent to commit a breach, the magistrate continued, defendant having merely continued to charge the prices she had charged for a number of years. The regulations must be enforced and a penalty inflicted to act as a deterrent to others.
Mr Paterson added that the case for the prosecution had been put very fairly.
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Bibliographic details
Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22459, 21 September 1944, Page 4
Word Count
360UNUSUAL CHARGE Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22459, 21 September 1944, Page 4
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