ANTI-OPIUM LEAGUE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13740, 23 May 1910, Page 8

ANTI-OPIUM LEAGUE.

DEPUTATION,TO MINISTER FOR CUSTOMS. (PRSSS ASSOCIATION* TELEGHAJI.* WELLINGTON, May 21.

A deputation representing the AntiOpium League, and introduced by Mr E. A. Wright. M.P.. interviewed the Minister for Customs (the Hon. t-. Fowlds) to-day, to enter a protest against the sale of tinctures of opium by chemists to Chinese, who by a simple process mado-it into smoking ° l> The'Rev. J. J- North said that the position was that' it was possible for Chinese to secure in a _ very simpi* fashion the drug they wanted. lnere seemed to bo something wrong with tno salo of narcoctic drugs in chemists shops. Chinese could go easily nno such a sho>> and nrocuro tincture ot opium. There was an instance in the case, of a Chinese, who purchased tincture of onium and converted it by a simple process into smoking opium. This was found on him. and he was fined £30. It was well known that a great deal of tincturo of opium or laudanum was sold in the cities, at Otaki, and on, the West Coast, to Chinese. . - . . , Mr Fowlds: The chemist is perrectly justified in selling tincture of opium. The Chinese is at fault in breaking tho law by manufacturing it into smoking opium. . Mr North said that their medical adviser stated that there was absolutely no rea&on —no sensible reason—why Chinese should buy tincturo of opium in large quantities. 'Tho opium habit was like the whisky habit. If whisky were «>ld in tablet form it might defeat any law against its sale in liquid form. (Laughter.) { They would suggest that something should be done to relievo what iviis, a very "crooked" position. Some alteration ehould be made in the law to enable chemists to bo muzzled i'u this respect. Drugs of the kind mentioned shcukl be procured only by medical prescription.

Mr Aitken proposed that difficulties might be interposed to make the sale of tincture of opium far more restricted. Some other witness should bo necessary, such as a Justice of the Peace. At present there was really no restriction on tho sale of tincture of opium. Mr Paradise said about 20 per cent, of the Chinese in the Dominion were apparently using this tincture.

The Minister said they would raise something of an international question if they were to differentiate between the European and the Chinese in this matter. He was in sympathy with any attempt to minimise the evil of Chinese smoking opium, but the difficulties were very great. The department had known of the practice of making a smoking opium from the extract. It was a difficult matter to introduce legislation. Ho did not think that the Chinese were hardly dealt with in being punished lor producing opium for smoking. They wanto-d effective, but net harassing, legislation. To make any strict regulation, as suggested, would mean that chemists, through inadvertence, perhaps, in this matter would be severelyharassed and punished. Probably the innocent would suffer more than the guilty. Suppose the department were checking the amount of opium going into a chemist's shop. Large quanta ties were being used in making certain cough mixtures and other medicines. Louid the department alter this procedure and object to that? The difficulties in the meantime seemed so great that very little could be done vithout harassing the life of the honest chemist to as to make business almost impossible As to quantities—in i9Ol before the importation 4 was orohi luted! the amount brought' in was 33031b. Since then a calculation had been made, and the whole of the tincture, if evaporated, would only come to about IOOOIb of solid opium. Fully half of that must go in legitimate use. Mr Aitken: Is there any evidence that the consumntion of tincture lias increased since 1801? . The Minister ;said ho had.no figures to show that there had been an increase.. Probably there had "been, but that might go in tho increase of normal and legitimate use. It was necessary to have a:i amendment of the Act for several reasons, A recent decision of the Supreme Court had laid tho onus upon the Customs to prove that opium found had not been imported into New Zealand before the passing of the Act. He would do whatever he could to meet the wishes-of the deputation, so long as it was reasonable- without being unduly harassing. ,