N.Z. DRUGGISTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 181, 1 August 1936, Page 13

N.Z. DRUGGISTS.

WHOLESALE HOUSES' SCHEME

licensing of chemists,

Following a recommendation from the ndustries and Commerce Committee which reported to the House of Representatives in June last, that chemists should reorganise their industry, plans are afoot for a merger or association of wholesale drug houses in New Zealand. An important point in the scheme, which is to be submitted to the Government, is that retail chemists should be licensed, it Jeing thought by so doing, new businesses would be prevented from starting in places where they were not considered desirable in the public interest. The new association is to be called the Associated Drug Houses of Xew Zealand. Another aspect is that prices of prescriptions and drugs would be put on a film basis, while it is also understood that licensed chemists should buy as far as possible only from the wholesale group of suppliers. Protection, it is considered, will be sought from the Government to prevent the sale of chemists' incs from any others than registered chemists.

No definite information could be given, said Mr. H. Trevelyan Kin", member of the Pharmacy Board, lie cause the proposals were not definite. The profession, he said, was, following the advice of the Minister, and s>ce the report of the committee much work had been done both by retail and wholesale houses.

Representatives of wholesale houses did not wish to comment on the proposal.

The report of the Parliamentary committee which has been a major cause in this move by chemists, was made as the result of a largo number of petitions from chemists and others against the development of chain stores. When the report was presented to the House, the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, had advised chemists in New Zealand to put their house in order. He thought that possibly there was room for improvements in the methods of wholesale houses and of private firms.