LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Evening Star, Issue 23354, 25 August 1939, Page 14

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

DEBATE ON PATENT MEDICINES [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 24. When the Legislative Council met at 2.30 this afternoon the Property Law Amendment Bill and the Land Transfer Amendment Bill were each read a first time and a second time pro forma and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Leader of the Council (Hon. D. Wilson) said the committee would consider the Bills on August 30, so that interested parties could make representations regarding the proposed restrictions on the licensing of land brokers in the Land Transfer Bill. Continuing the debate on the Hon. V. Ward’s motion recommending the Government to set up a Parliamentary Committee to investigate the sale of patent medicines and appliances, Hon. B. Martin said that a case had been made out for investigation, and he considered the motion should also take in adulterated foodstuffs and shoddy clothing and footwear. Mr Wilson congratulated Mr Ward on bringing the matter before the Council, and said that investigations had shown that patent medicines were sold at 700 and 800 per cent, profit. Such profits .wore improper, even if the medicines were of value in illness. So far as the advertising of patent medicines by the commercial broadcasting stations was concerned, every endeavour was made to see that the advertisers did not make extravagant claims, and some advertising contracts had been refused because articles had been proved useless. After Mr Ward had replied the motion was carried. The Alsatian Dog Bill was put through the committee stages and passed. The Council adjourned at 3.30.