The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-23
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Recommendations in Annual Report
of Commissioner Henry.

VI OOUif1lSSiOuCT f1CUfVs
Hugh H. Henry, commissioner of
weights and measures has made his
report for the year July l, 1911 to
June 80, 1912, the department having
been established but two months
prior TO July, 1911. One complete
tour of the State has been made and
all regular places of business have
had the advantage of inspection of
weighing and measuring devices eX-
cept II towns in which could be
found no regular place OF business
and eight small towns not yet visit
ed
During the next year more time
will be spent in checking up the
sale OF commodities as this seems i'm
portant to preserve fair dealing and
honest competition. The majority of
merchants favor strict supervision,
although in the first instance it APP
pealed to many as a nuisance.
Total number of towns visited on
first inspection, 225; villages. 476;
villages visited on reinspeetion, 209;
stores visited first inspection, 3,243;
reinspection, 521. Wagon scales,
sealed, ASP; condemned, 1876; adjust
ed, IL; reinspection, sealed, 45; con-
demned, 10; adjusted, 8.
Dormant scales, sealed, 161; con-
demned, IS; adjusted, Il; platform
scales, sealed, 2701; condemned. 914;
adjusted. 1853; counter scales, sealed,
2479 condemned, 562; seized, 4; ad-
justed, 209 spring scales, sealed
0SS; condemned, $40; seized, 6; ad.
lusted. 49, computing scales, sealed
1874; condemned, 400; adjusted, 17S;
steelyards. sealed, So: condemned,
81; adjusted, 2; miscellaneous Scales,
sealed, 8; adjusted, one; dry meas
ure, sealed, 966; condemned, 1896;
seized, az. weights, sealed, 21,40S;
condemned, 1928; seized, 1926; adj
justed, 5247; self measuring pumps.
scaled, 2092; condemned, 249; ad
5usted, 222,
The commissioner discusses the
statutes relating to sale of certain
vegetables, seeds, etc, by so many
pounds per bushel, sale of beans by
the quart, selling net weight, care in
regard to measuring liquid commodi-
ties, the most notable being gaso-
lene, kerosene, milk and cream, care
in sale of butter by the pound.
There were q prosecutions of
which one was found not guilty, the
offenses being sales short in weight,
false scales, use of false baskets and
sale short in measure.
The commissioner says there is I'M
doubted necessity for a so-called net
container package act, to compel the
labelling on the outside of package
of the weight, measure or count of
contents, when such contents are
commodities which it is necessary or
essential for the majority of citizens
to have.
1t would be of benefit to trades
men If the Legislature passed resoiu-
tons directing the attention of our
Congressman to all weights and
measure legislation pending and ad-
vocating beneficial measures.
He suggests a law that lard in
pals be sold in quantities of 3, 8, and
10 pounds net weight and law of
same effect in regard to maple sugar.
It Should be considered whether
the standard bushel OF beans should
remain 60 pounds or be changed to
60 to correspond with the standard
in neighboring States. Other articles
should be standardized as oranber-
RE, spinach, bran. Japan millet,
parsnip, sweet potatoes, Other stand
ardizations should be shingles by
thousands and eggs by weight.