SATISFACTORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 143, 18 June 1936, Page 8

SATISFACTORY.

CHEMISTS BENEFIT. -

PARLIAMENTARY REPORT.

EFFECT OF CHAIN STORES,

Agreement in the main with the report of the Industries and Cdmmeice Committee, which presented to Pallia. - ment oil June 9 tlie result of its investigations of . the possible effects on the profession of the development of chain stores, was expressed to-day by the past president of the Pharmacy Board of New Zealand, Mr. E. Smith, of Auckland. Mr. Smith is at present one of the members of the Auckland district on the board. Mr. Smith said that the five recommendations made by the committee could and would be put into operation. The investigation was made as the result of numerous petitions made to the House by chemists and others, and Mr. Smith explained what had led up to those petitions. The Pharmacy Act, originally, he said, had laid it down that pharmacy could be practised only by individuals duly registered and qualified. But some '30 years ago it was amended so as to assist the laudable operations of the friendly societies. "The amendment," Mr. Smith added, "left a loophole which might have been taken advantage of by persons not qualified, and also by corporations. The Pharmacy Board has been alive to this position for many years, and has tried to have the loophole closed, but Governments, while not setting their face against our proposal, have shelved it. Danger Has Grown. Mr. Smith said that when the danger was first seen it was not immediate, but about this time last year the board had heard a rumour of a nearer danger,: and again the Government was approached. The matter was under consideration when it was known that Messrs. Boots, Limited, had made arrangements to start operations in New Zealand. "When we found that the danger was more serious we made another petition to the House; but not only did the board petition, but many of the chemists throughout the Dominion. Hence the inquiry." Mr. Smith made it quite clear that the board did not pbject to Messrs. Boots as such, but because they were a corporation, against whom the original Act had legislated. "We are satisfied with the report of the committee," Mr. Smith added. "We feel that in the inquiry both sides have been stated fairly, and the inquiry has been conducted impartially. We are prepared to take the committee's recommendations into account, and within the prescribed time they will be given effect to." Two Points Explained. There were two points mentioned in the House, however, which Mr. Smith would like to explain. _ One concerned the costs of ingredients in prescriptions, and the other marking in examinations. As reported in the Press, he said that the statement had been made in the House that the cost of ingredients in the average prescription was Gd. "We have figures to show that, worked out by several friendly societies in New Zealand, where only British pharmaeopoeia drugs were used —those drugs being the standard for all medicine —the average cost of prescriptions varied from 1/3 to 1/10 for the whole of New Zealand, and we would take that to be the average cost. Many prescriptions," he said, "called for proprietary remedies, where the co*t might be raised to any point up to 30/ per 100 for tablets." I His second point concerned the markI ing for examinations the school of I pharmacy established and maintained by the Pharmacy Board, without Government aid of any kind. In the Press j it had been reported from tlia House ' that while the board demanded marks < |of oO per cent for a pass generally, students from a private school in Wellington were allowed through with 40 per cent. Mr. Smith said that students of the pharmacy school were allowed to add to their examination marks 10 per cent of them if they completed their studies satisfactorily. For example, if a student got 40 per cent he might add four marks to his total. But the inference from the statement made in the House was that a clear 10 per cent might be added, whatever the marks, so that 40 per cent became 50 per cent and not 44 per cent. , Apart from those two matters. Mr. Smith said the chemists generally felt that they had benefited by the investigation. Hp added that the profession was wholeheartedly with the Government in its desire to establish a national health insurance scheme. Such a plan, together with the work done by friendly societies, would establish in New Zealand an ideal means of health protection for the community. Chemists' Guild Endorsement. j The report of the Parliamentary , Committee was fully discussed last \ night at a meeting of the Auckland ( division of the Chemists' Guild, when , Mr. Smith put before the meeting the ; same views as he expressed later in the r interview. The Auckland division -] agreed with his interpretation of the j facts. f