HC Deb 09 March 1908 vol 185 cc1124-6
MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY (Limerick, W.)

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can say whether the Board of Agriculture received a letter from the Scottish Provision Trade Association, dated 21st February, enclosing a leaflet of a certain firm in which milk-blended butter is described as a mixture of butter arid milk, and stating that such a practice is contrary to the provisions of The Butter and Margarine Act, 1907; if so, whether it is the intention of the Board to allow this practice to continue; and if he can say whether the Board still approve of the firm of Pearks and Company advertising this article as Pearksown, and as being better than the best butter, and being only obtained at their stores.

MR. J. A. PEASE

The Board have received the letter to which the hon. Member refers. They have no reason to believe that any contravention of the law has taken place in respect of the article in question. The Act of last session regulates the name under which mixtures or blends of butter and milk are dealt with, and it also provides that they shall be delivered to the purchaser in a wrapper bearing an approved description of the article setting out the percentage of moisture or water contained in the article. But it does not interfere with the right of a vendor to advertise the article as he thinks fit provided that the general requirements of the law applicable to the sale of goods are not infringed.

MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY

Is not this article described milk blended butter, and is not that contrary to the law?

MR. J. A. PEASE

That is merely a description of the article—of its constitution. The Board of Agriculture cannot interfere with that. It can only interfere with the name under which it is sold.

MR. BYLES

Is it a truthful description of the mixture?

MR. J. A. PEASE

It may be. But the public have full opportunity of knowing what they are buying. The vendors may not use the word "butter" in connection with the name of the article.

MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY

But does the word "butter" appear in the description, and does not that tend to deceive the buyer?

MR. J. A. PEASE

It may occur in the description, but it does not in the name of the article.

MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY

How are the public to discriminate?

[No Answer was returned.]