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1910]
286
Butter and Margarine.—200 samples of butter were analysed by the
Public Analyst, of which 10, or 5 per cent., were adulterated. This percentage
compares with 12.5 in 1909, 9.5 in 1908, and 6.2 in 1907. There can be no
doubt that owing to the vigorous manner in which fraudulent dealers in butter
were followed up in 1909, there was less substitution of margarine for butter
than usual. How long this improvement will continue it is hard to say, for
there is a tendency on the part of certain vendors to resume the practice of
substituting margarine for the article demanded. It is necessary when considering
the adulteraton of butter also to take into consideration the breaches
of the Margarine Act, and when this is done it will be found that last year out
of 40 samples of margarine which were purchased, 28, or 70 per cent., were sold
contrary to the Act. Now in every one of these instances it is more than
probable that if butter had been asked tor, margarine would have been supplied ;
and, indeed, this was proved in several of the cases by the informed sampling
that had been made of the goods. As a rule, such substitutions are practised
by very small traders in poor neighbourhoods, who frequently sell their goods
in unstamped wrappers. This offence is a serious one in the eye of the law,
for the penalty for the first offence may be £20; for the second offence £50,
and for a third or any subsequent offence £100. This provision was passed in
1887 to protect the butter industries of the country, which suffered severely from
the sale of what was then called "butterine" and now is known as "margarine."
The fraud became so extensive that it was felt that very strong and drastic
measures should be taken to put an end to it. From that day to this all
honest traders have complied with the Act that was then passed, but it is
regrettable to think that there are still a large number of persons who dishonestly
sell margarine for butter, although it is not strange to find these are the same
persons who, as a rule, do not sell margarine in stamped wrappers. It has
already been pointed out that it is very difficult to punish persons who deal
fraudulently in food stuffs, for although they are very dishonest, they are very
careful to whom they sell, and in fact will not sell to any person until they
know him as a customer, fearing lest he should be the Inspector's agent.
These people, curiously enough, when asked for margarine are not quite so
careful, and very frequently use unstamped wrappers. It has been said, and
there is no doubt that there is a great deal of truth in the statement that they
do so at times at the request of customers, because the Medical Officer
of Health has been informed on what he considers reliable authority
that there is a certain class of women, wives of working men,
who ask to be supplied with the margarine in an unstamped wrapper,