THE BREAD ACT AND WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2103, 16 April 1864, Page 5

THE BREAD ACT AND WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

We are glad to find tliat the Commissioner of Puliee Mid the Inspect™ of Weights and Measures have taken steps to piotect the public fiom tv fraud winch is too often resorted to by unprincipled tradssmsuthat of the sale of bread under the propei weight, or by using deficient weights and measures. Inde pendently of the dishonesty of such a. couise, Acts aie now in force by which se/ere penalties can be inflicted on those who thus trausgies". Mr. N.uighton, accompanied by the luspector, visited a laige number of shops in Auckland yesterday, and as their visits were unexpected they had a better oppoitunity of ducoveiing in what w.iy the public are served in this respect. In most of the cn«es wheie light biead was found jt was with the sellers, and not the baUers, although it is questionable whether the latter are not responsible foi it. The b.ikeis, of course, allow a percentage to the selleis, but whether they are thereby compelled to lcduce the weight we aie not piepared to B(iy, but the result >\as as we have statei'. out of fifty »hops visited, in twenty the biead wa3 deficient in weight. That the Bread Act should be ciinied out strictly, and the proper penalties enforced 'or its infringement is, of couise, very necessary at the present tune, when nuch high prices are cunenfc. As it regards the weights and measmes, many were found unstamped, which is, of couise, a bieacii of the Act, and we would remind shopkeepers that by a non-compliance with the law, they lender themselves liable to a penalty, besides which the public have no guaianteo that they get their dues. We believe, that the Commissioner of Police has not yet determined whether lie will proceed against those parties who have infringed the law, and that he intends, in the first place, to lefer their case? to tho Assistant Law Officer.