BUTTER MENACED.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4800, 21 June 1939, Page 3

BUTTER MENACED.

INROADS OF MARGARINE. CONCERN IN AUSTRALIA. Mr. F. Wigan, Commonwealth Supervisor of Dairy Exports, at the 34th annual conference of the Australian Institute of Dairy Factory Managers and Secretaries held in Sydney, said that margarine was jeopardising the future of dairy farmers. Acting upon suggestions made by Mr. Wigan in his address, the conference resolved unanimously “that the Commonwealth Government be urged to impose an excise duty of sixpence a pound on all vegetable and marine oils imported and used in the manufacture of margarine or butter substitutes, and that the various State Governments be urged to pass legislation to place under the control of their department the factories manufacturing margarine or butter substitutes; and that the State Goveniments be urged to pass legislation for a uniform colour standard for

manufactured margarine or butter substitutes so that it cannot resemble butter.

Mr. Wigan said that more than 14,000 tons of margarine were produced in Australia last year, which displaced on the local market butter to the value of £1,500,000.

Wealth Producing Industry

He emphasised that dairying was the greatest wealth-producing industry in Victoria and Queensland, and for the whole of Australia was second only to wool. He considered the industry was of such vital national importance that any considerable decrease in production, especially of butter, would seriously affect the financial stability of Australia, and dangerously reduce her credit balances in Britain.

The value of butter production alone was approximately £25,000,annually, he said, with an export value of more than £11,000,000.