Honey Marketing Regulations.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 57, Issue 6, 20 December 1938, Page 546

Honey Marketing Regulations.

Levy Imposed by Means of Seal.

A. E. Morrison,

Solicitor, Department of Agriculture

BY the Honey Board (Transfer of Powers) Order 1938, which came into force on the nth November, the powers vested in the New Zealand Honey Control Board by the Honey Export Control Act, 1924, or conferred on the Board by any other Act or otherwise . howsoever, »are transferred to the

Minister of Marketing, who may exercise the powers so transferred or delegate such powers to the Board or in accordance with, the provisions of the Primary Products Marketing Act, 1936. . By the Honey Marketing Regulations 1938 a levy is imposed on all honey sold

in New Zealand except honey sold for consumption in the bee-comb or sold by a producer to a consumer at his apiary or to a packer in a bulk container — i.e., a package containing more than io lb. of honey delivered to and accepted by the Internal Marketing Division of the Primary Products Marketing Department.

Amount of Levy.

The appropriate levy is to be affixed to the top or bottom of containers packed with honey by means of a special honey seal bearing a design depicting a bee in flight. These seals are obtainable for cash sale from the offices of the Internal Marketing Division of the Department at Auckland and Wellington. On and after Ist December producers are required to see that the appropriate seal is affixed to all containers of honey sold to consumers or to a manufacturer and to all retail containers of honey sold to a packer or to any other person for resale. On and after the same date packers repacking for sale honey from bulk containers into retail containers — i.e., packages containing honey not exceeding 10 lb. net weight—must affix the appropriate seals to the containers before the honey so repacked is sold or offered for sale.

To enable existing stocks in the hands of wholesalers and retailers to be sold without repacking to consumers, a period of three months is allowed for these stocks to be sold, but after ist March next all containers of honey , sold by retail must bear the appropriate seal prescribed by the regulations. . Inspection of Records. The Minister of Marketing is empowered to withdraw from sale all seals for the time being issued and available for the purposes of the regulations, and to make available a fresh issue. The Minister may also repurchase any seals. Any officer of the Primary Products Marketing Department or any other person authorized by the Minister is given the right of entry to the premises of persons engaged in the business of storing or marketing honey in New Zealand for the purpose of inspecting the stocks of honey held and the books and records of such persons relating to the storage, sale, and purchase of honey. It will be an offence against the regulations for any person to fail to observe or perform any duty cast upon him by the regulations, or to counterfeit any official seal, or to affix a counterfeit seal to any container of honey, or to remove

without lawful justification or excuse any seal lawfully affixed to any container of honey, or to use on any container of honey any official seal that has previously been used as a seal in respect of the sale of any other honey. The penalty for a breach of the regulations is a fine not exceeding in the case of an individual, and not exceeding in the case of a company or other corporation. Copies of the regulations, which are administered by the Internal Marketing Division of the Primary Products Marketing Department, may be obtained from the Government Printer, Wellington, price 3d. per copy, plus postage id., remittance with order.

Honey Exports.

Net Weight of Honey. Amount of Levy. 8 oz. and under Over 8 oz. and not exceeding 16 oz. Over 16 oz. and not exceeding 2 lb. Exceeding 2 lb. .. .. id. id. id. id., plus id. per lb.

The amount of the levy is as follows :-

Cwt. Value. . ■ £ . 1934 • 7.342 23.784 1935 5.427 I7, 8 44 1936 5.427 , 10,446 17,844 ' 34,258 1937 ■ 7.774 24,658 1938 ' • 3.804 12,658 4O 4-

The quantities and values of honey exported from the. Dominion for the last five years ended 31st March are as follows :-