THE DRUG TRADE

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 1, 3 January 1916, Page 2

THE DRUG TRADE

CURIOUS CUSTOMS REGULATIONS. A curious position that has arisen in connection with the English embargo on the exportation of certain pharmaceutical lines was referred to by a Wellington chemist in conversation with a reporter of this paper.' He stated that when a shortage of certain lines occurred the Home authorities passed Customs regulations which were evidently meant to be used with a little judgment and common-sense, but, like many such regulations, were taken too literally, with the result that importers in the various Dominions were being seriously inconvenienced. He produced a copy of the Chemist and Druggist, in which the matter was summed up in a_ nutshell as follows: —"Since the* prohibition of the exportation of certain goods from the United Kingdom begun under war conditions, fifteen months ago, no greater trouble has been caused than there 'has been during the past ten days,, consequent upon the Customs • authorities (under ■ Government orders, doubtless) requiring exporters to tell them whether or not goods contain any prohibited article; in short, whether they are or are not what, chemists arid druggists know as admixtures or preparations. For example, blue black ink in a consignment of stationery holds up the whole parcel, because the Customs want the consigner to tell whether or not the ink contains a dye. If it does .the ink cannot be exported, because, according to the Customs or those who instruct them, it contains dye, and dye is manufactured from coal tar products. That is . the entry on the prohibited list. The significance of this interpretatiop .... began to be specially felt in the drug business when exporters of medicines were asked by the Customs officials last week if the proprietary medicines which they desired to ship contained any prohibited articles. Nobody can tell them but the makers, and a glance at the long list of medical substances which are on the prohibited list will show the stupendous responsibility the authorities are placing on the exporters."

The far-reaching effect of these regulations, said tho informant, would be readily understood if they would cause to divert the trade of the Dominions into foreien channels. Already the

Japanese and Americans were reaping the harvest, and, instead of the Dominions being able to help in the trade of the Motherland in the present time of stress, the literal reading of the regulations was having just the opposite effect.