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The sale of Milk-Blended Butter containing more than
twenty-four per cent. of water is also an offence under the Act.
The Local Government Board are empowered to make
regulations for prohibiting the use of preservatives, or for
regulating the extent in which they may be used in Butter,
Margarine or Milk-Blended Butter.
Milk-Blended Butter must in future be dea t with under such
names as may be approved by the Board of Agriculture, and
under the conditions relating to the sale or description of
margarine. The wrappers of packages sold must have the
approved name printed on them, together with such description
of the article set out, and the percentage of moisture or water
contained therein as may be approved by the Board of
Agriculture.
No fancy names for Margarine or Milk-Blended Butter will
be approved if they refer to or are suggestive of Butter or anything
connected with the dairy interest.
Margarine is defined as any article of food whether mixed
with Butter or not which resembles Butter and is not MilkBlended
Butter, thus "amending" the definition contained in the
Margarine Act, 1887.
Other Sections relate to powers conferred on the Board of
Agriculture and the Board of Customs.
It sounds very nice, as most new Statutes do, until they are
tested in the Courts. When that happens the inherent defects
will become more obvious. Whether the poorer classes in whose
benefit, we are told, this has been passed will be duly and
properly grateful when they realise this measure seems legally to
countenance the selling of something that looks like Butter,
smells like Butter, and tastes like Butter, but is in fact 24 per
cent. moisture or water, remains to be seen. Of course, the