CHEMISTS' CASE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 138, 12 June 1936, Page 5

CHEMISTS' CASE

STATEMENT FROM GUILD

PROTECTION OF PUBLIC

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the "Evening Post.")

DUNEDIN, This Day.

| In connection with the report of the Industries and Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives on petitions of chemists, the Chemists' Service Guild of Otago and Southland has, through its president, Mr. J. A, Race, issued a statement in which the guild says:—

"The report states that the chemists must put their house in order. An important fact bearing on this matter, and one of which no mention was made in the report, is this: for many years representations have been made to previous Governments by the Pharmacy Board to have the Pharmacy Act of 1908 amended in order that the board should have some control over members generally. How then, we ask, is it possible for the administering body to 'put its house in order' when such means of control are denied it by the Government of the day?

| "A few years ago pharmacies formed the New Zealand Guild, and one of its principal functions has been to protect the public from false claims, quack medicines, etc. At the same time it will be found that the pharmacists have always" been in close touch with the Public Health Department, and have co-operated with the Government in formulating regulations in regard to poisons, dangerous drugs, and other matters, ail of which are to the benefit of the general public.

"It must be generally admitted that the chemists have been in a precarious position for some years, the main contributing factors being the depression, the introduction of the sales tax, and the increase in exchange, as ■ against which there has been no increase in prices to the public. Further, direct price-cutting campaigns, which have been common to New Zealand, have had very serious effects upon them."