FARMERS CONCERNED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 53, 4 March 1939, Page 10

FARMERS CONCERNED.

FRAUDULENT STOCK TONICS.

AMENDMENT TO ACT URGED.

Concern at the marketing of what were described as" valueless and fraudulent stock tonics was expressed by delegates at the quarterly meeting at Pukekohe yesterday of the Franklin subprovincial executive of the Farmers' Union. The secretary, Mr. A. E. Robinson, said he had written to the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, urging the standardisation of stock tonics, but the Minister had replied advising that it was impossible to do

as suggested. Mr. Robinson said that in his covering letter to the Minister he had mentioned that one tonic, when analysed, contained only traces of minerals "about equivalent to thoee in tap water."

Mr. A. White said that if tonics on the market were proved valueless they were no less than frauds. It was a serious matter. Such things would not be allowed for human beings. .

Mr. C. A. Moore expresed the opinion that the analysis of the contents should be shown on the bottles of all stock tonics. It appeared that the onus rested on the farmers themselves of analysing a tonic before action could ite taken. Legislation. should be intrc duced compelling - the analysis of all tonics to be shown on the bottles.

Captain H. M. Rushworth considered that the best way to get out of the matter would be to amend the Stock Remedies Act to extend it not only to include serums and remedies, but tonics as well.

A motion along these linee was carried.