“ PRIME CANTERBURY.”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3266, 11 July 1911, Page 2

“ PRIME CANTERBURY.”

PRACTICES OF THE TRADE.

A LIVERPOOL PROSECUTION.

The Produce, Commissioner for New Zealand is at present m Liverpool conducting' the prosecution, of a shipping •firm, Messrs James Hall and Sons, on a cnarge of malpractice to the disadvantage of our best New Zealand mutton. says the London correspondent of till© Christchurch “Press.V p The informations, four, in number, are laid under the Merchandise Marks Act, and are: —(1) Falsely describing a carcase of mutton as having been supplied by the New Zealand Refrigerating Company; (2) selling other mutton under the name of “Canterbury mutton'’; (3) selling mutton to the Allan line under false trade description; and (4) having in. tlieir possession carcases to which false tags were attached. Mr.'S. (F. Butcher, of Bury, who appeared for the New Zealand Government, fully detailed the precautions that are taken in the Dominion to ensure that all meat sent out of the country is sound and good in quality. The result of these regulations was that of all mutton imported' into Great- Britain, New Zealand, was the best, and attained the highest values. For the week ended April 12th, the difference, over otlior descriptions was one-third in favor of New Zealand, The defendants did a large business in supplying meat to shipping and other firms. The evidence of Mr H. C. Cameron (Produce Commissioner) and others, went to show that carcases of mutton bearing the label “New Zealand Refrigerating Company,” were delivered to ihe Allan Lind steamers. The company of that name had been out of existence for some years, and the labels had been attached shortly before the carcases were shipped. i Mr Kennedy (who appeared for the defence) told Mr Cameron that the defendants had been using- these labels for the last fourteen years. Mr Cameron: Then it must have Jbeen done for- the purpose of fraud. That label would indicate that the mutton came from New Zealand. He would be surprised to learn that the New Zealand Refrigerating Company had given the defendant express permission to use that label. The labels were affixed to the carcases by the defendants’ servants in quite an open manner. The Victualling Superintendent of the Allan Line, who said he had given large orders to the defendants for New Zea- r land mutton and New Zealand lamb, ao-' mitted that he had had no complaint to make of the quality. Before the case was adjourned for the day, Mr Kennedy said he had a complete answer to the charge, and he desired a speedy determination of the hearing. One reason was that statements had been made to others of tlie defendants’ clients that they were supplying Australian instead of New Zealand meat. That- was a damaging statement. It was absolutely untrue, and they wished to have it stopped as soon as possible.

Counsel for the prosecution indicated that there would be no repetition of the statement complained of.