Potatoes price list (1918)

Post date: Apr 29, 2014 1:10:38 PM

Extract from South Eastern Gazette of 8th January 1918

WATERINGBURY TRADESMAN PROSECUTED

At Malling Police Court yesterday (Monday), Amos Baker was summoned for failing to display in his shop the price list of potatoes for sale at Wateringbury. He pleaded guilty.

Mr. F. J. Allison, who prosecuted, quoted the clause of the Order under which the proceedings were instituted, viz., “Every retail dealer shall so long as he shall have any potatoes on sale display prominently at the shop or other place of sale a statement or statements showing the prices at which he is selling the potatoes at such shop or place, and when he is selling different potatoes at different, prices the statement or statements shall be in such a form or shall be so displayed as to show clearly which are the prices for each lot.”

Defendant was asked why he did not, exhibit his prices and was reminded of the circular sent out to him, and he answered that he had no time to do it. Up to the present the 'local'Food Control Committee (added Mr. Allison) had been extremely lenient, having endeavoured to get along without prosecutions, but the time had now arrived when they would have to come to the Court and ask the magistrates to support them.

Inspector Souter stated in evidence that a leaflet had been sent out from the Food Control Office to all dealers in potatoes, giving them due notice of what they should do and stating at what prices they must sell the potatoes. He saw no price list posted up in defendant’s shop.

Defendant told the Bench that he didn’t read the notice when he received it.

The Chairman: I presume you have read it now?

Defendant: Yes.

The Chairman: I daresay you regret now you didn't read it when you received it?

Defendant: Yes; but we only sell potatoes during the Hop-picking.

The Chairman: The inspector asked you for some?

Defendant: Yes. He asked if we had any. If we had been in the habit of selling potatoes throughout the year instead of during the hop-picking only we should have taken more notice of the circular.

The Chairman, having conferred with the other magistrates, told defendant that he had rendered himself liable to a heavy fine, but as this was the first case of the kind and he was not a general dealer in potatoes, they were going to treat him with the greatest leniency. He would be fined £2, and the Bench hoped that this would he a sufficient warning to him and others concerned.