MR. CHANGING (Northampton, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the advertisement in the London Commercial Record, of 29th April, 1898, of an article described as "butterina," manufactured by the Butterina Company, and recommended to restaurants, eating houses, and boarding house keepers, confectioners, and pastrycooks, as a special value in butter mixture; and whether he proposes to call the attention of local authorities to this violation of the third section of the Margarine Act, 1887, which provides that all such mixtures shall be described and sold as "margarine," or whether he proposes to take other steps to secure the enforcement of the Margarine Act in these and similar oases?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, SleafordI have seen the advertisement referred to. The Margarine Act, 1887, provides that sub-stances, whether compounds or other- 50 wise, prepared in imitation of butter, and whether mixed with butter or not, shall only be lawfully sold under the name of margarine and under the conditions set forth in that Act. Heavy penalties are provided for its contravention—20 on the first occasion, £50 on the second, and £100 on the third. I have no power to institute prosecutions in such cases or to give directions to the local authorities to do so. But they are well aware of their powers, and the Question of the honourable Member will have the effect, no doubt, of drawing their attention to the particular case in question.
§ MR. CHANNINGWhile thanking the right honourable Gentleman for his reply, may I ask if the Local Government Board does not sometimes issue circulars to local authorities, advising them on these matters?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARDNo, Sir; not in relation to matters of this nature.