MARGARINE AND is defined by the Butter and Mar garine Act, 1907, as meaning "any article of food, whether mixed with butter or not, which resembles butter and is not milk-blended butter." Milk-blended butter, that is to say, "any mixture produced by mixing or blending butter with milk or cream other than condensed milk or cream," is dealt with ender the same conditions as margarine with regard to those applicable to its sale and description, except that a name other than "margarine" may be applied to it if prescribed by the Board of Trade, and that on sale it is delivered in a wrapper on which is printed the prescribed name and such description of the article, setting out the percentage of moisture or water contained therein, as may lie approved by the Board. It is a punishable offence to sell or expose or offer for sale, or have in possession for the purpose of sale, or to describe, any milk blended butter contrary to the provisions of the law.
Regist rat iun of factories and ron,ig melds —In Vol. V. (p. 101) it has been noted that a margarine factory must be registered. Now registration is also necessary for—(a) Butter factories, that is to say, any premises on which by way of trade butter is blended, reworked, or subjected to any other treatment, but not so as to cease to bo butter ; and (6) any premises on which there is manufactured any milk-blended butter, or on which there is carried on the business of a wholesale dealer in milk-blended butter Consignments of milk-blended butter must be registered in the same manner as consignments of margarine. No premises can be used as a butter factory that form part of or communicate, otherwise than by a public street or road, with any other premises which require to bo registered as a margarine or milk-blended factory. Registered premises are liable to inspection.
Adulterants and ti re. —The occupier of a butter factory is guilty of a punishable offence if any substance intended to be used for the adulteration of butter is found in his factory. If any oil or fat capable of being so used is found it will be deemed to be intended to be so used unless the contrary is proved. Neither butter nor margarine, when prepared for sale or consignment, must contain more than 16 ,?r cent. of moisture. It is an offence to keep such in a factory or to consign it, and the occupier or consigner will be punished unless lie can prove to the satisfaction of the Court that the butter or margarine was not made, blended, reworked, or treated in the factory. To manufacture, sell, or expose for sale, or have in possession for the purpose fpf sale, any milk-blended butter containing more than 24 per cent, of water is to be guilty of a punishable offence.
Importat ion. —The statute referred to at the commencement of this article, and the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1S99, contains elaborate provisions intended to prevent the importation of butter substitutes insufficiently marked. If there is imported into the United Kingdom any of the following articles, namely—(a) Margarine or mar garino-choese, except in packages conspicuously marked " Margarine " or Margarine cheese," as the case may require ; or (b) adulterated or impoverished milk or cream, except in packages or cans conspicuously marked with a name or description hitheating that tho milk or cream has been so treated ; or (e) condensed, separated, or skimmed milk, except iu tins or other receptacles which hear a label whereon the words "Machine skimmed Milk or " Skimmed Milk," as the case mai require, are printed in large and legible type ; or (d) any adulterated or impoverished article of food specified by Order in Council, unless the same be imported in packages or receptacles conspicuously marked with a name or description indicating that the article has been so treated ; or (e) butter containing more than 16 per cent. of water ; or (f) margarine containing more than
16 per cent. of water, or more than 10 per cent. of butter fat ; or (y) milk-blended buttgr containing more than 24 per cent. of water ; or (h) milk-blended butter, except in packages conspicuously marked with a name approved by the Board of Agriculture ; or (i) bttter, margarine, or milk-blended butter which contains a prohibitive preserva tive, or an amount of a permissible preservative in excess of the prescribed limit ;—tho importer is liable, on conviction, to heavy penalties. The word " importer " here in cludes any person who, whether as owner, consigner, or consignee's agent or broker, is in possession of, or in anywise entitled to the custody or control of, tho article. The fancy name may not be used in combination with the word " margarine," ELS, e.g., " Karmo Margarine " (IVilliams v. Baker).
Marking of wrappere.—A dealer in margarine commits a punishable offence if, in any wrapper inclosing margarine, or in any package containing margarine, or on any label attached to 0, parcel of margarine, or in any advertisement or invoice of margarine, he describes it by any name other than " margarine," or a name combining the word " mar garine " with a fancy or other descriptive name approved by the Board of Agriculture and printed in type not larger than and in the same colour as the word " margarine." A name will not be approved by the Board if it refers to or is suggestive of butter or any thing connected with the dairy interest, and no such name will be approved as a name under which milk-blendcd butter may be imported or dealt with. See DAIRIES.
MATCHES.—White phosphorus, that is to say, the substance usually known as white or yellow phosphorus, may not lawfully be used in tho manufacture of matches. A factory in which it is so used is not a factory kept in conformity with the Factory and Workshops Act (White Phosphorus Blotches Prohibition Act, 1908). A factory inspector is entitled to enter a match factory in order to analyse the materials used, the occupier having the right to have any samples taken divided into two parts, marked and sealed. one of which is to be delivered to him. It is now unlawful for a retail dealer to have in his possession for the purpose of sale any matches made with white phosphorus. Such matches may not be imported into this country. .