MOISTURE IN BUTTER.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 202, 25 October 1909, Page 5

MOISTURE IN BUTTER.

Tnc recent prosecutions for the exportation of butter alleged to have contained more than 16 per cent, of moisture have raised very considerable comment in the House of Representatives. Speaking on the subject on Thursday last the member for Taumarunui, Mr W. Jennings, said he agreed with the statement of the Taranaki magistrate that the cases should never have been brought before the Court at all. When a prosecution on similar lines was brought against the New Zealand Daiiy* Association in Auckland he went there on purpose to hear what was going to happen. The opinion he had come to, after listening to the evidence, wa* that he had never heard a more pitiful display by experts than on that occasion. "I sat there for half an hour," added the member for Taumarunui. "and then I turned to the member for Auckland West and said, 'There is no case here; I'm off.' " Dealing further with the subject, the member asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he would furnish the House the reason why the Department instituted proceedings against certain firms and settlers in Auckland and Taranaki for exporting butter containing an undue proportion of moisture, and then in some cases withdrew the prosecution, while others were fined and mulcted in Jieavy costs? The, Minister replied that the Department's sole object in these prosecutions was to impress upon all concerned that the export of such butter against the interests of the whole Dominion 's output could not be permitted to continue. In respect to the Auckland case, it was represented to the Government by the Crown solicitor that the defendant company agreed to plead guilty, and he subsequently asked that the case be withdrawn, as sufficient publicity had been given, and the object of the Act attained, tbe company agreeing to pay expenses. Mr Okey asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he would amend the Butter Export Act by placing the responsibility upon tbe manufacturer, by instructing tbe graders not to allow butter containing over 16 per cent of moisture being shipped. The Hon. T. Mackenzie replied that there was at present no power to do as suggested. Tbe law merely provided for fining the exporter. The matter of amending the Dairy Industry Act this session in the direction of enabling tbe Department to prevent i the export of butter containing over 16 per cent, of moisture was, however, under consideration.