Tlce South Africcut Butter Trade. 145 



Eiver Colony buy by the lb., so that any shortage in the weight of tlie 

 tins Avould require to be made up by the necessary additional number. 



Tliere is no legitimate argument to advance in favour of the nominal 

 weights. It is usually an endeavour on the part of someone to obtain 

 an unfair advantage over a competitor by offering what is ostensibly 

 1 lb., but which in reality is considerably less. The ])ublic sooner or 

 later discover they are not receiving what they believe they have ])aid 

 for, and, of course, discouthiue taking the article. Thus does the 

 adoption' of the system recoil on the maker. 



Our shippers should, in their (jwn interest, resist firmly any over- 

 tures from customers to put up their established brands in tins con- 

 taining less than 1 lb., unless they consent to the actual weight 

 being distinctly indicated on the label. Further, I think this is a 

 matter, seeing that it affects the re]>utation of trade, that the De- 

 partment should, if possible, deal with. 



Harmer's well-known brand of Danish' butter, which has a big 

 sale in Africa, is put up in full 1 lb. tins net weight, and I have had 

 that referred to as showing the determination of that firm to protect 

 the re])utation of their brand in every way, as against the readiness of 

 some Australian shippers to adopt a course that cannot but eventually 

 adversely affect them and the trade generally. 



Margarine and Butterine. 



In a mai'ket like this, where butter is generally high in price, it is 

 not surprising that a considerable trade exists in butter substitutes, 

 such as butterine, margarine, etc. 1 append the statistics of the 

 imports into Cape Colony for 1901, which indicate that it is principally 

 drawn from Holland. Considerable quantities also go to the Transvaal. 

 It is, of course, supposed to be used mostly by bakers, but when I was 

 in Johannesburg, owing to the scarcity and high price of Imtter, the 

 partner for one large firm of distributors informed me he had no doubt 

 that a good deal of what he was selling found its way to the tables of 

 hotels, restaurants and private houses. It is packed in 7 and 28 lb. 

 circular tins, and is sold wholesale in Capetown at about Is. per lb., 

 and retailed at Is. 4d. A locally made margarine is also sold whole- 

 sale at from Gd. to 8d. 



The following are the imports of margarine for 19()1 : — 



Where From. Quantity. Value. 



United Kingdom 



Natal .. 



Belgium 



Germany 



Holland 



United States . . 



Other Countries 



Total 



