The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, MARCH 9, 1914. THE BUTTER TRADE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 57, 9 March 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, MARCH 9, 1914. THE BUTTER TRADE.

From the movement made by those Interested in the protection ••! tJio 'Hitter trade, it is evident that the :ii,-m-----»arine business is expanding and besoming to an extent a dangerous rival' to one of our leading indastnec. As! the cable informed us a few days aso, | the. President of the BnS.. 1 Hon id of I Irade was to receive a deputation Vom those interested in tile butter

Itrade in England, regarding the danger arising out of flio unrest-rifted sale of nutter substitutes, and especially margarine. Last week also a deputation from fanners, butter manufacturers, mfl others interested, waited on the Minister for Agriculture of New South Wales, juul urged liini to strenuously J ippose the introduction of colored matter into margarine, contending! that the coloring matter was not introluced for a legitimate purpose. There' ■an 1)0 no question but that of recent, vears the growth in the use of oho-' aargarine in Rritain and other conn-; tries on the Continent of Europe has Ven marked. The high price of but- \ ter and the greatly improved quality ". the margarine product, are to a large extent tesponsible I m- tnis increase i in the substitute business, while doubt- j less also the improved method of mar-' keting lias done much to remove (he old prejudice against- margarine. In many parts of England, shops have

j been opened which specialise in marI gnrine, put forward in such an attrao- t tire manner that in appearance it exactly resembles the best dairy butter. It is sold at one half the price of butter, and according to latest accounts tiie companies into vsleJ iu its production have made enormous prelits. So far as legitimate trade competition is concerned, butter producers can hare nothing to say, but it is perfectly reasonable to demand that the consumer who desires to obtain butter, and has no objection to pay a fair price for it. shall obtain a pure unadulterated article, and not one of the clever substi- 1 tales with n liic-h the market is flooded. I In Britain, margarine may be l cole.red to exactly resemble butter, without, any infraction of-the law. Other countries on the Continent have recognised > the danger in this course, and have! taken steps to ensure that there shall! be no reasonable chance of substitu-1 tiou. Both. France and Denmark, groat! butter countries, have prohibited the coloring of margarine, and in Franco: manufacturers and dealers must clear- 1 ly indicate by prominent signs the] nature of the business they carry on. j I Belgium has laws which prohibit ilioi sale of margarine in the some shop| where butter is stored or sold, and• I singularly the United Kingdom alone I j fails to give the dairying industry in; } which her dependencies are so greatly j interested the protection they may | rightly claim. What answer is given! to the British deputation’s protest will I be watched with interest in ins country and in Australia.