PRICE OF BUTTER

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16960, 8 October 1920, Page 6

PRICE OF BUTTER

* —:— ENQTTIEIES IN THE HOXTSE. (SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") WELLINGTON, October 7. Tho price of buttor was mentioned again in tlio Houso of Representatives to-day. Members stated that the people of Wellington and other ccntre3 were, being charged 2s 10d a pound for new butter. Could not tho Government keep down the price, pending the report of -tilio Butter Committee ? The Hon. E. P. Lee: It is not the function of the Board of Trade to ask people to sell goods at a loss. _ 1 have conferred with the Prime Minister .on that point. What we do is to see that goods are sold at a fair profit. Mr Masscy said it was'not possible for the Government to interfere during the next few days, until the Butter Committee made its roport. Tiic Government could demde what was to bo done about the price of butter when tho report had been received. MAKGAEINE AS A SUBSTITUTE. (SrECXiI. TO "TnE PRESS." i DUNEDIN, October 7. In view of the present scarcity and high price of butter, Dr. McKibbin, District Health Officer, states that the ' position here just now suggests consideration of ttae amendment of tho margarine regulations under the Stile of i'ood and lmigs Act, wlik-h prohibit the addition of colouring mutter or any otaer substance save salt, to margarine. The article produced here is wmto in colour, and unattractive tor table use. Good oleo margarine is of equal food vaiuo to butter far adults. it lacks only an accesioiy food factor—vitamine —piCi-ent in cream, and essential for the <jrowth o f iiii'iiiits and young children. T'iie English "Margarine Act, 1667, and amendment, 1599, permit the addition of hiuciiess vegetable cc-iour-ing matter, and not more tnan 10 per cent, of buUcr-iat to maigarine. Nowadays, it is niado almost exclusively from vegetable oiis, and when properly prepared, provides not only a food of equal vaiue to butter, but equally palatauie, and, in far.t, almost indistinguishable by the ordinary consumer. The pre-war price in liugiaud was about Is per lb retail, and it is now Is 6d or Is 9d. It is rare to see butter on tho table tlmre, the price being from 4s to 5s per lb, and the ration allowance li . ounces per weekl