THE PEOPLE'S FOOD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8203, 6 August 1906, Page 3

THE PEOPLE'S FOOD.

M/iSOVS COMMENTS. "'lbe Federal House of Represen- j tatives has adopted a resolutiou In j favour of a critical examination of [, imported and proprietary medioi j' jaes and infantile food. The descriptions are to be clearly set out on j :'the lab Is." So ran a cable message j .published on Friday, and the news | will remind New Zealanders of f.ba j 'Health Department's endeavour a j year or two ago to alter the present system of sale in patent medicines -and foods. Australian flits briug information of an effort made by Mr Soddon to -arrancre au Australasian conference of the cliief health officers of the <3pmmonwealth and New Zealand, at •OJbrißlclHiroh. 'The ultrcers, said Dr. Mason, Chief 'Health Officer, to a jl j osd reporter, were Bnxioas for a conference, bat -several of the States could not see their way to send representatives as :far away a3 Now Zealand. A citi in this colony was suggested as a sort of neutral ground* where health -queM'ons could be considered. Therptfinoiple item was quarantine, | and setting a standard of food was •another important project. "There is no doubt, states Dr. Mason, "that the standards of foodstuffs should be the same not only in Australasia, but all British dominions." He referred' to the sale of articles that were diluted though not usually with injurious material. Pepper, for instance, was sold at a lower price than the figure paid by manufacturers for the pods. With the exception of a counle of brands, jarhs were not above suspicion. Strawberry and raspberry often contained nothing but the pips and fibre <of that fruit, supplemented with apple pulp. "There is absolutely so reaeon," be continued, why the constituents of alleged suitable foods should not be indicated on the wrapper. A manufacturer, by revealing the constituents, does not necessarily part with his secret. No one suggests that be should." He mentioned a well-known saline preparation, whose constituents, be .said, were known to every chemist. Yet, he knew them, he would *uy thtrferand' ia question, and pay more. The excellence lay in the •apeoial machinery or method used in the preparation* of the article. He added that the high rate of infant mortality in N*ew Zealand was no ■doubt due to unsuitable children's foods, and impure milk. He could .nee no reason why the makers [of these foods should be privileged to Terrain from mentioning the con>stituentg on the labels. Incidentally, Dr. Mason remarked that when be was in Great Britain •recently, manufacturers had informed him that New Zealand's prosperity and consequent ability to pay higher prices led them to send better foodstuffs than they despatched to Australia. At the .same time, he said, there were things on the market that were not .what they purposed to be. ThiajUood and patent medioine •questiotwill be the subject of a leotare by Dr. Mason at the Wellington Town Hall on August 15th. W* ' -