MARGARINE

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1042, 3 February 1911, Page 8

MARGARINE

:A LETTER FROM A BUYER, A letter which was handed a Dominion representative by a, London butter buyer contains, some observations of much more than ordinary iiiteres-t on the part which margarine is playing on tho butter- market in England. The Temar,ks come from a London merchant establishment, wjiich deals in dairy produce. The letter -, was . written before- the present season conHuehcecl,""an(l "after discussing the prospet/s at some length went on as follows.:- ■"

"In'the, hopes of ; probing the situation a little,further, there is one factor which is. playing an. important part in the game, and which is apt to ba overlooked. Wo refer to margarine. Liko the sword of Damocles it is always in suspense. The shilling o'ver-weight margarine, or, iu othur words, the 'something for nothing' myth, affords an insatiable bait to the gullibility of the million, and whilst the , device fiuds favour with the masses, any" attempt at prodigality in butter prices—whether at Homo or abroad, by manipulating or cornering will prove abortive.

"Consumption of the substitute is increasing in popularity, and it may bo looked upon as a safety-valvo ,to the trade. Board of Trade, returns of imports fail to convey an idea" of tho magnitude of tho sale, inasmuch as a vary largo quantity is manufactured in fhis country; and statistics arri"riot available. The only inference to be drawn, therefore, is'that abnormal prices of. butter open the door, to margarine in a measure that the portion of the pure article becomes immediately undermined by tho inroads of the other under the novel methods referred to."