The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-02-10
CONSUMER WILL.
GET THE FULL
WEIGHT
-
Raids on Stores Continue, With
Resultant Improvement in
Scales.
WHEN A YARD IS NOT A YARD
No One Calls for the COnfisCated
Weighing DevlCss-"Yard"
Sticks Short.
WHEN A YARD is NOT A YARD
CFrom Thuraday's Advertlser.l


Ten per cent. of the scales tested
yesterday, in the second days investi-
cation of the weights and measures OF
Honolulu, were found to be either tam
pered with or otherwise out of proper
register, all, of course, to the benefit Of
the storekeeper. The difference between
the results Of the second days work,
and that Of the first, which resulted
in four out of five scales in the fish
market being seized, was probably due
to the announcement of the astonishing
conditions found, made in The Adver-
tiser, yesterday.
If there were any little iron bands,
any soldered lead, or other extra weight,
fastened to the underside Of the scales
examined yesterday, that story gave
warning as to what would happen If
they were found there.
The examination took in the stores
along Maunakea street and in that dis
trict Although the entire day was
spent at the work, only ninety scales
were examined. Nine were brought to
be added to the collection now in the
basement of the capital, while three
heavy beam scales were found consider
ably faulty, but had to be sealed up
and left in the shops until today as
they were too heavy to carry.
Short Yard Sticks.
Two s'yard'' sticks, thirty-fve inches
or less in length, were added to the
several found the day before, showing
that short weight is not the only device
resorted to py many of the Honolulu
merchants to make a little surreptitious
profit. The investigation will continue
today. Every scale found correct is
beng stamped with the mark of the
investigating officers and with the date.
The scales will be retested in six months
and heavy penalties given to those who
have tempered with them IN the mean
time. Purchasers examining the scales
for this stamp and finding it, will be
assured that they are getting full
weight.
The ordinary hanging scales have not
been the only weighing devices found
faulty. The good oldfashioned beam
scale has yielded three tempered speci-
mems to the hands of the inspector. The
scales carrying al dipper and platform
for weights has been another offender
One pound weights have been found
with little holes followed out on the
under side, which take off several
ounces of the customers purchase.
Other weights. evidently used for buy
ing instead of selling, had the existing
holes filled with lead and frequently
weighed seventeen and eighteen ounces.
Dual Examination.
AS Halvor Myhre. assistant to Food
Commissioner Blanchard, is one of the
inspectors, a dual examination is being
carried on. While Myhre aids the man
detailed by Superintendent Campbell
in testing scales, he also examines the
stores for unfit food at the same time.
Among other discoveries he has found
fifty pounds of Japanese Goldfish in vile
condition, which he promptly poured
kerosene oil on to prevent its further
sale. Blanchard cleaned the city up
of this stuff fairly well on previous
examination of the stores and was aided
by most of the merchants.
A box of Japanese melons was also
found by Myhre with the melons so rot
ten that they were swelling and break
ing off the ton of the box. These were
also destroyed
Besides several smaller lots of canned
goods, which have been confiscated
after being proved rotten, these are
about all the bad specimens of food
found. The last stringent examination
of the city IS retail and wholesale stores
made by Blanchard and Myhre have
left them in a decent condition. Recent
agitation has also been effectual in
creating cleaner market conditions.