The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1595. A BLOW AT DAIRY FARMERS.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 50, 27 August 1895, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1595. A BLOW AT DAIRY FARMERS.

We all know what an uphill fight the dairy farmers have had, and in fact are having at the present time, to establish their factories on a firm and, at the same time, legitimate basis. To encourage theo, no doubt, the Hon J. McKeuzie has introduced a Bill intituled an Act to Regulate the Manufacture and Sale of Ma-garine. This ingenious composition is described as follows : — " Margarine includes ail substances, whether compound or not, prepared or manufactured fivm any form of animal fats (other thnn bufcier fat or milk) or of animai, mineral, or vegetable oils, aad intended to bs used as a substitute

for butter, or capable of being so used." We commend to our readers the confusion of terms in this alleged " interpretation clause." Well, the Bill proposes to give the Minister of Agriculture permission to issue licensee to make this " compound " on receipt of a license fee of one pound. But, it is provided — it shall not be lawful to make the stuff so as to " imitate " butter, and each box or package containing it must have dis tinctiy marked on it " Margarine " in capital letters not less than a-quarter of an mchsqvAaro, aud any person who contravenes (!) this section of the Act will bo liable to a penalty of one pound (same value as the license fee). Uf course inspectors would be appointed. The Ministry couldn't do without them. Now, if the Act proposed to prevent the manufacture of this " butter fraud " altogether, and to inflict restrictive penalties on possible offenders, there would be some sense in it —but for the (jovoruuient to encourage in the colony a rival which has cost so much to compete against in England seems lo us utterly absurd. We have had " flannelette " legis'ation aud now " margarine " measures are to be inflicted on v long eulleriug people.