Fair Play SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1894. “Bad Tucker.”

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 17, 24 February 1894, Page 12

Fair Play SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1894. “Bad Tucker.”

Wellington is one of the most expensive towns to live in that can he found in the Colony. House rent is extravagantly high, and provisions of nearly eveiy kind are far dearer than they are either in Dunedin, Christchurch or Auckland, the latter city being the cheapest place of residence of the four great cities of the colony. We should not, however, feel inclined to grumble at the higher rates charged j.n Wellington for food, were we certain, which we are far fromHbeing at present, that the food'which is supplied to us is always of good quality. Unfortunately this is not the case, and it is ou this very important subject of what we may colloquially entitle the “ had tucker,” which Wellingtonians are compelled to consume, [that wc intend to say a few outspoken words in this week’s “ Fair Play.” A healthy mind cannot exist in an unhealthy body, and it is difficult to see how the body can fairly be expected to he in a healthy condition when it is fed with meat which frequently is cut from diseased carcases, milk that has come from diseased cows through the medium of a filthy dairy, fish that has been so long out of the water that it is more than merely unwholesome, and fruit which is unfit for human consumption. This is a strong indictment to bring against the food supply of the Empire City, hut there is only too much truth in it. Within our own personal knowledge we have met with householders whose whole families have been taken suddenly and seriously ill after eating certain meat, meat which could only have come from some diseased carcase, a carcase which in the first place never ought to have been sold to the butcher; and secondly and more important, should never have been allowed to go forth to the unsuspecting consumer. It is a wellknown fact, and this w'e assert most plainly, that diseased meat is con-

stantly being sold in this city, and so far as we can ascertain, no steps whatever are being taken to prevent this disgusting and disgraceful state of things ■ Turn we now to the milk supply of the city. This is far from being up to the proper quality. The tricks and dodges of the milkmen in “ faking np ” the milk were fully exposed not long ago in one of the city courts, and we have good reason for believing that “ the ways that are dark and tricks that are vain,” that were then brought to the light of clay, are practiced by a goodly number of those who provide milk for Wellington householders. And in this connection, here is a little story. A friend of ours, who has been blessed by providence —and his better half—with a goodly number of youngsters, recently had complaints from his spouse of the poor quality of the milk that was being supplied to the family. Our friend, who is an amateur chemist in his leisure hours, indulged in a series of experiments, by which he discovered that the family milk supply was regularly and systematically adulterated with some foreign whitey compound, which, as far as he could make out, was nothing more nor less than chalk. He also discovei’ed there Avas an alien colouring matter in the milk. Fortified Avith the knoAvledge he had thus acquired of the devious Avays of the local dairymen, he “bailed up” the family milk provider on the first opportunity and openly charged him Avith dishonesty and impudent adulteration. It Avas beautiful, he says, to observe the pathetic indignation of that worthy tradesman. His milk, he declared, Avas the pure product of the cow, he “ kneAV nawt aboot turmeric and chork and all that ’ere stuff,” he invoked the Deity to strike him dead if “ heAveren’ttellin’ GaAvd’s terruth,” and so on „ ad lib. and ad nauseam.” Then our friend, Avho really began to think that after all he had been mistaken in his amateur analyses, said “ Well, you just giveme a bottle full of to-day’s milk and I’ll have it analysed by Mr. Paregoric, the chemist doAvn on the Quay.’’ The milkman made a hurried excuse, and rushed «ff to his cart, and bringing another can to the door filled a bottle with the milk. He Avas visibly frightened, despite all his bounce, and from that day forth, the quality of the milk supplied to our friend showed a perfectly marvellous im-

provement. But every householder cannot be his own analyst, and complaints are almost daily made to us on the subject, accompanied by requests “ to take the matter up.” Wo have not the slightest doubt that one-half of the milk supply, of Wellington is shamefully adulterated. Then as to fish: The supply is small and by no means regular, the price often most exorbitant, and the quality far from being what it ought to be. At preseut the fish supply of the city is in the hands of a selfish, grasping, little ring, the fishermen get but Avrctchcd pay for thtir labour, and the middlemen avux fat upon their toil, Avhilst the public are vilely served. During the recent hot Aveather, so avc are informed, large quantities of tainted fish came into toAvn and presumably Avere disposed of to the public. There is no more check upon the selling of bad fish than exists on the Amending of diseased meat and adulterated milk. The same remarks apply, but in a, less degree, to fruit, large quantities of which, unwholesomely over ripe, are exposed for sale fio ii time to time, Avilh bnt very rare action being taken by the proper authorities. It may be said that we have draAvn too dark a picture of the state of things which exists in connection with the food supply of the city ; That our remarks r.ro fai* fetched and exaggerated, avc can solemnly assure our readers that this is by no means the case, that avc have sure and certain information, that nearly evory week in the year diseased meat, adulterated milk, bad fish and unwholesome fruit are Amended in Wellington. Were we to say all we know on this unpleasant subject, our readers might then put us doAvn as alarmists and dealers in gross exaggeration, but we haA r c purposely understated the case. And the remedy for the state of things to AA'hich Ave have alluded. —What is it, and Avhere is it to come from Well, we have given the public some information to go upon and the public themselves must move in a matter Avhich concerns every father of a family in Wellington, and which very seriously affects the health of the city. We may, hoAvevcr, point out a few things Avhich are urgently needed. First of all, there should be a rigid inspection at the slaughterhouses of each and every carcase of meat Avhich is destined for tlic consumption of the public of Wellington,

Whenever and wherever diseased meat is found, it should ho at otico destroyed and a heavy line, say i£f>o at the very least, inflicted upon tho person who supplied the meat, evidence of course to bo forthcoming that such person avus himself aware of tho diseased state of tho meat ho had sold. As to milk, the remedy might for a time bo expensive; it would certainly bo most olTectivo. Ap-

point a eouplo of inspectors and lot tho milk curls bo stopped on their daily rounds, ono to-day, another to-morrow, another next week. Never lot it bo known when they aro to bo so stoppocl or whore, and lot tho samples of tho milk thus obtained bo lmndod over for tho in-

spection of u competent analyst. Tho slightest truce of adulteration, either by clmlk, turmeric, salicylic neid, or other foreign subtuneo, and tho vendor should bo lined at least A'oO, and ho forbidden under a further penalty of say, I*loo, to ply tho trade of milkman for six months. Too sevoro a punishment some may say. Not a hit of it! Tho purity of tho milk upon which so many of our children have mainly to exist, should he a matter of tho most serious importance to tho community, and no punishment can, so wo take it, ho too sovoro for the moan mil-

prits, who, for Llio saku of tho fow paltry p >nmin and extra profit, cozen and clioa tho householders into buying what is an adulterated article. Ah to tho fish supply wo havo written enough on tho subject previously. AVo still hold that a fish market is urgently needed for tho city. Ponding that institution being established however, stringent stops should bo taken by tho city authorities to provont bad fish being sold, and when detected, tho offondors should bo subject to tho most drastic penalties that can be devised. Tho some remarks apply to unwholesome fruit, of which, however, wo do not think thoro is so much. AVo havo omitted to mention what arc known as butchers' “ smallgoods," sausages, brawn, etc. Many of those comestibles are manufactured out of tainted, if not absolutely bad moat, and a stringent inspection of the manufacture of those articles is also highly necessary. The purity and wholesomencss of our food supply is ono of the most important of matters, and yet wo fully beliovo that there is no subject which receives so little attention at tho hands of tho AVe repeat that diseased meat, adulterated milk, bad fish, and unwholesome fruit are regularly vended in tins city, and wo now call upon tho public to insist upon a stringent and effective system of inspection, or the institution of some other means of putting a stop to what is an over present and most dangerous menace to the health of the community.