Mexborough and Swinton Times January 18, 1929

Watered Milk. 

Barnburgh Dealer’s Vain Plea.

That he was the victim of circumstances was the defence of Edward Lindsay, milk dealer, of Barnburgh, who was summoned at Doncaster on Tuesday for selling adulterated milk. He pleaded guilty.

Mr. E. jones, prosecuting on behalf of the West Riding County Council, said that on November 28 an inspector took from milk the defendant was selling a sample which upon analysis proved to contain 17.6 parts of added water. On December 1 the inspector went with defendant to the farm where he obtained his milk and took a sample which proved genuine. The farmer might have been told the inspector was coming, for he appeared to be expected. On December. 2 the inspector obtained a sample of milk from the cows, and upon analysis the milk was found genuine.

Mr. A. S. Furniss, for the defence, said that the facts were admitted, and on the face of it tale was a very bad case. The circumstances were exceptional, however, as far as the defendant was concerned. The defendant was a man of irreproachable character. He was simply the victim of circumstances. He bought the whole of his milk from a farm at Darlington. One man at that farm was undoubtedly a rogue. Complaint had been made that this farm-hand milked the cows at night and sold the milk to a purchaser and then added water to make good the deficiency.

The defendant was fined four years ago and the farmer paid his fine. He had a letter from that farmer stating that he was willing to pay any fine inflicted in the present case, because he appreciated the tact that a rogue had been handling that milk on the farm The police had informed the farmer that they had seen this farm-hand removing something from the farm at night in a bucket. This farm-hand was much addicted to drink, which explained why he tampered with the milk and that was why defendant got water with his milk.

Evidence was given by the defendant supporting ng Mr. Furniss’s statement, but the magistrates imposed a fine of £10 remarking that the onus of ensuring that no water was added to the milk rested with the defendant.