BUTTER ADULTERATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8100, 29 May 1906, Page 4

BUTTER ADULTERATION.

The enquiry which is now being made in England into the devious ways of the butter " faker" are bringing to. light some startlim? facts. The Hou*e of Commons has set «p a Select Committee ou Butter Adulteration, vrhtfja tit a sitting a few week* ago heard evidence respecting the dairy farmer* and the Home and Foreign Produce Exchange. The testimony ehci i«4 included the statement of .Ssr Iteginald Butler, of ihe Wiltshire United Dairy Company, that his firm had bee a approached by a certain firm confidentially with a view to their supplying them with adulterants, and how they were assured of large profits by so doing. The firm gave instances of what might be made in the way of profit in this mutter, stating thai one firm, not in England, was making £'120,000 a year clear profs: by using adulterants and rending the mixture to England, His opinion was that unless every factory was put under Government inspection they should never get absolutely pure butter. The chairman of the Committee got from this witness the opinion that the factories which refused to adul er«te would be forced to do so or would have to stop the manufacture. Mr G. P. Sparrow, of the Home and Foreign Produce Exchange, gave evidence that is of some interest in New Zealand, since it has been stated that colonial butler has not been adulterated* He mentioned that the firm wuh which he was eonneeted had received an offer from Holland to send them colonial butter, the Dutch firm undertaking to pay the cost of transit, to send the butter back, with a guarantee of purity, a guarantee also to pay any fines in the event of detection, and an absolute payment of 5s on every eivt so sent back to this eonmry. The Dutch firm afterwards offered to sell them the secrets of the process for I",100. He was certain that the Colonies would welcome legislation to stop the mischief, Such facts as these aught to induce colonial makers and agents to maintain the utmost vigilance both iu New Zealand and at Home.