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60
LOCAL FOOD CONTROL COMMITTEE'S WORK.
Owing to the de-control of various food stuffs, the discontinuance of the
inspection and checking of food registers by my staff, the fewness of complaints
as to the infringements or contraventions of Food Orders, and the revocation
of many of these Orders, the Food Control work carried out by my Department
during the year was of distinctly less importance than in previous years. In
November last I reported to the Food Control Committee that, in view of my
own rapidly-increasing work, the Executive Officer considered he could arrange
for such matters as then came within my special province to be done by his staff,
and I requested the Committee to release me from further responsibility in connection
with this work. This the Committee agreed to.
INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS.—The total number of complaints
alleging breaches of the Food Orders was 19.
These complaints referred to:—
One case in which improper sale by auction was alleged.
One case of food wastage.
Thirteen cases in which excessive prices were alleged.
Two cases for not selling by Imperial measure.
One case in which it was alleged a substitute was being sold for rum.
One case in which adulteration of beer was alleged.
The following is a brief review of the cases referred to:—
THE WHISKEY (RESTRICTION ON SALES) ORDER, 1918, No. 12.—
Under this Order one complaint was made. This referred to the sale by auction
in the City of spirit lying in America. After considerable correspondence the matter
was referred back to the Ministry of Food for prosecution by them should they
deem it desirable.
THE BEER (PRICES AND DESCRIPTION) ORDER, 1918, No. 103.—
There were six complaints made under this Order. All were investigated, and in
three instances it was found that no offence had been committed and that the
other three were of a very trivial nature. No action was taken.
THE SPIRITS (PRICES AND DESCRIPTION) ORDER, 1918, No. 2.—
There were nine prosecutions under this Order, viz., seven for selling spirits at an
excessive price, two for not selling by Imperial measure. Of the seven instances of
overcharging, fines were imposed in five cases, one case was dismissed, and the
remaining case was dealt with under the "Probation of Offenders' Act," and the
defendant was ordered to pay four guineas costs.
Both cases for not selling by Imperial Measure were dismissed.
THE SPIRITS (PRICES AND DESCRIPTION) ORDER, 1919, No. 517
AS AMENDED BY No. 788.—In consequence of a complaint received from the
Ministry of Food that a substitute for rum was being sold at a City public house,
a sample of rum was procured and submitted to the Public Analyist, who certified
it to be " pure rum " and no offence was proved.
In another complaint under this order in which it was alleged that an excessive
price was being charged, a test was made, and no offence was proved.
THE WASTE OF FOODSTUFFS ORDER, 1918, No. 212.—In consequence
of a complaint that the girls employed by a City firm of printers were in the habit
of throwing bread and other food into the roadway, an inspection was made on
August the 20th, and the Inspector reported that the complaint was fully justified.
On that date he stated that he found the roadway strewn with bread which had
evidently been thrown from the windows of the firm's premises.
The attention of the Manageress and the Managers of adjoining premises was
called to the matter, and the employees were cautioned. A re-inspection was
made on August 22nd, and, as the practice had not entirely stopped, the Managers
were again interviewed, and the employees again cautioned. This has had the
desired effect, and no wastage has been noticed since that date. The individual
offenders could not be discovered.