MARGARINE is defined by the Margarine Act, 1907, as meaning "any article of food, whether mixed with butter or not, which resetnbles butter and is not milk-blended butter." No such substance can be lal4ully sold except under the name of margarine, and under the conditions set forth in that Act. The word "butter " is defined in the same Act of 1887 as the substance usually known as butter, made exclusively from milk or cream, or both, with or without salt or other preservative, and with or without the addition of colouring matter. The Board of Agriculture issued, under the Act of 1887, a regulation that where the proportion of water in a sample of butter exceeds 16 per cent. it should be presumed that the butter was not genuine. This article is based mainly on the Act of 1887. That of 1907 is the subject of the article on MARGARINE in the Appendix. Penalty.—" Every person dealing in margarine, whether wholesale or retail, whether a manufacturer, importer, or as consignor or consignee, or as com mission agent or otherwise, who is found guilty of an offence under this Act, shall be liable on summary conviction for the first offence to a fine not exceeding X20, and for the second offence to a fine not exceeding 1)50, and for a third or any subsequent offence to a fine not exceeclingi)100." But " where an employer is charged with an offence against this Act he shall be entitled, upon information duly laid by him, to have any other person whom he charges as the actual offender brought bewre the Court at the time appointed for hearing the charge, and if, after the commission of tile offence has been proved, the employer proves to the satisfaction of the Court that he had used due diligence to enforce the execution of this Act, and that the said other person had committed the offence in question without his knowledge, consent, or connivance, the said other person shall be summarily convicted of such offence, and the employer shall be exempt from any penalty." A penalty is incurred by non-compliance with the regulations contained in the Margarine Act. Marking (if casm.—These regulations pro vide that every package, whether open or closed, and containing margarine, must be branded or durably niarked " Margarine" on the top, bottom, and sides, in printed capital letters not less than three-quarlers of an inch square. If such margarine is exposed for sale by retail, then there must be attached to each parcel so exposed, and in a manner clearly visible to the purchaser, a label marked in printed capital letters, not less than one and a half inches square, " Margarine." And the same mark, printed in capital letters, not less than a quarter of an inch square, must be branded or durably marked on a paper wrapper containing the article and so delivered to the purchaser, whenever margarine is sold by retail. Every one who deals, sells, exposes,
or offers for sale, or has in his possession for the purpose of sale any quantity of maraarine contrary to the provisions of the Act is liable to conviction thereeor. But he will be discharged from the prosecution if he can show that he purchased the article in question as butter, and uith a written warranty or invoice to that effect ; that he had no reason to believe at the time when he sold it that the article was other than butter ; and that he sold it in the same state as when he purchased it. Even though so discharged he will be liable to pay the costs incurred by the prosecutor unless he has given due notice to him that he will rely upon that defence. Kargarine imported into the United Kingdom, or manufactured here, must always be consigned under the designation of margarine whenever forwarded by a public conveyance. Taking samples.—With regard to margarine in course of consignment authority is vested in any Customs officer, medical officer of health, inspector of nuisances, or police constable authorised under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, to procure samples for analysis if he has reason to believe that the provisions of the Margarine Act are infringed; and also to examine and take samples from any package, and ascertain, if necessary by analysis, whether an offence against the Act has been committed. And an inspector under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts has power to take samples anywhere, without going through the form of purchase provided by that Act, but otherwise acting in accordance with its provisions. These samples may be of butter, or of substances purporting to be butter, pro vided they are exposed for sale, and are not properly marked Margarine. Any such substance not so marked is presumed to be exposed for sale as butter. Maniffarturers and wholesale dealers.—The owner or occupier of a manufactory of margarine or margarine-cheese, or a wholesale dealer therein, must obtain from the local authorities a Certificate of Registration. In the application therefor it is necessary to state—(a) the name and address of the owner or occupier or wholesale dealer making the application ; (b) the situation of the manufactory, or of the premises wherein the business of the wholesale dealer is carried on ; and (c) the name and address, or names and addresses, of the ommner or owners, or occupier or occupiers, or wholesale dealer or wholesale dealers, carrying on the manufacture or business. Notice must be given in the case of a change of persons in the manufacture or business. See ADULTERATION ; and the article in the Appendix.