PHARMACY TRADE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 156, 17 June 1936, Page 6

PHARMACY TRADE

Comment on Parliamentary Report “PUTTING HOUSE IN ORDER” In connection with the report ot the Industries and Commerce Committee ot tho House of Representatives on the petitions of a large number of chemists and others against the development of tho chain store system in their industry, the Chemists’ "Service Guild of Otago and Southland has issued tho following statement:— “The report states that chemists must ‘put their house in order.’ The most important fact bearing on tus matter, and one of which no mention was made in tho report, is this: Fol many years representations have been made to previous Governments by tec Pharmacy Board to have the Pharmacy Act of 1908 amended in order thut the board should have some control ovoi members generally. How then, wc ask, is it possible for an administering holy to ‘put its house in order’ when such means of control are denied it by tho Government of the day? “A few years ago pharmacists formed a 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 pharmacists have always been in close touch with the Public Health Department and have co-oper-ated with the Government in formulating regulations in regard to poisons, dangerous drugs, and other matters, nil of which are to the benelit of tho general public. And such regulations have been carried out by us to the best of our ability. “It must be generally admitted that chemits have been in a precarious position for some years, the mam coutri buting factors being the depression, the introduction of the sales tax aud the increase in exchange, as against whiffi there has been no increase in prices to the public. Further, the direct pricecutting campaigns which have been common to New Zealand have had very serous effects upon them. ‘‘ Wo are, in common with others, faced with shorter working and business hours, but we offer our full cooperation to the Government in arranging such hours without disturbing a necessary public service.’’