The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1905. ADULTERATION OF BUTTER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7827, 20 May 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1905. ADULTERATION OF BUTTER.

It is one of the misfortunes attaching to every successful induutry that thcro is a class of unscrupulous harpies ever on the watch to swoop down and seize a share of the profits of the producers. When, however, those trade pests adopt adulteration as the means <•! enriching themselves the damage caused to the legitimate indtistry is so much heavier on account of the difficulty in protecting the public from the fraud. It appears that a new form of adulterating, butter is being carried on both in England and Holland, and though it might seem that Colonial producers were not greatly concerned a 9 to how much the butter product of England and Holland is adulterated

it becomes a very serious matter to us when it is known that the Colonial product, is meeting with a similar fate. The particular method of adulteration now in vogue is the application of a patent process by which foreign substances tire added', with the result that the weight is increased 28 per cent. This practically means that for every three tons of butter exported from the Colony nearly four tons are placed on .the ujarket, und taking the price at |£s per-ewt.,'the producers are losling over a fourth of the trade, and | £2B is being filched from them out of every ton of butter manipulated by these ingenious but dishonest schemers. Up to the piesent the foreign substances which form the added matter have escaped detection on analysis, so that it may be presumed that there is an absence of anything of a deleterious nature. As the process is chiefly in vogue Jn Holland the difficulty of prevention will be very great, provided the moisture is within 16 per cent. It is stated that Australian butter is being very largely used for the purpose indicated above, and the attention of the New South Wales Minister of Agriculture has been drawn to the subject by the Commercial agent representing that State in London. Ho says : "I have it on reliable authority that have it on reliable authority that ono firm in Holland offers to take quantities of our butter, pay freight to Holland and back, and deliver back an equal quantity as Dutch butter in casks, and pay a premium per cwt. for the privilege. Our butter is bought at 106s, and this

■' Dutch ' butter is sold in London .wholesale at ,98s at the present moment. Tho result is that our sales arc in a sense only imaginary, as if! a thousand boxes are sold lor this purpose an equivalent of 12130 would come back to compete again with us in this market. I have seen some of this butter. It is pale in colour, and of that soft description which is liked in the Midlands, and then', appears to be a strong demand for it. It has a poor ' body,' and I imagine that its keeping qualities will be indifferent, but it serves well for immediate- consumption umongst a certain class." There is every reason for believing that New Zealand butter forms part of the "Dutch" article, so that the state of thiiips, so far as the butler fade with Great Britain is l concerned, js very serious, and unless stringent measures are adopted by the British Government the evil bids fair to become a standing menace lo the success of Colonial I enterprise. Once again the Sate of Butter Bill has been introduced in the House of Commons. This adheres Closely to the lines of the measure of 1903 as amended by the Standing Committee. Tha£ is to say, it renders any person manufacturing, selling, or exposing for sale butter containing more than 16 per cent, of water, or butter to which any substance has beeui added, where-

by the amount of water in it is inreascd, liable for the first oU'liko io a line not exceoding £2O, for the ccond offence to a fine not exceedng £.">o. and for t))0 third pr any sub- • oquent olTencc to a fine not exepedng £IOO. The Hill also makes pro- • vision .for the inspection of butter actories, and contains a clause exempting from the oporation of the enactment, until swell date as may be lixeil by an Order of His Majesty n Council (the draft of which must l>o , efore Parliament not less than thir- . l - sitting days"), any Irish salt drill butter which does not contain >oro than 20 per cent, of water, and ..which Is sold in a package or paper i ] wrapping bearing in a conspipuous jfashlon tho words "Irish salt firkin jbuttcr."- This legislation, if enacted, will not strike at the "Dutqh" aticle, jOr any arfuitoratious on similar linos. Tho matter is oue tltaj. should orm tho subject of anxious consideration 'jy the Federal and New Zealand Governments, as well as that of Great Britain. Every effort has beou made in the Colonies to ensure that dairy produce- exported shall be as pur,j and perfect as possible, and the result lias justified the policy' unwed. It is vitally important tp j he industry that such frauds as ws < have mentioned should be prevented, '• nd that no time should bo lost in ! obtaining the means necessary for he purpose. 1