FIGHT AGAINST DRUG.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 9 July 1938, Page 3

FIGHT AGAINST DRUG.

YOUNG MARRIED COUPLE. POIGNANT COUNT REVELATION (Ey Telegraph-Press Assm-Copyright) AUCKLAND, Last ~'.igni„

The telling of the courageous efforts , being made by a young nuirrietl c (tuple Ito break themselves: oi the knoll oj j taking a. drug was unfolded m i.Ke Police Court, when oath appeared <u; a sinuiuon.s charged with obtaining from two chemists a tube containing certain tablets valued at 4s bd, by falsely representing that prescriptions purporting to be-signed by doclois weic good and valid prescriptions for the tablets. Each pleaded guilty. fciu b-lnspector Flanagan, who prosocuted, said the man was an engineer who arrived in Ne<v Zealand about six years ago from the Malay States. He was at present living with his wife in Auckland. “Some years ago, while in the Malay States, he started taking the drug,” added Mr. Flanagan, “and in New Zealand his wife gradually got into the habit of taking the same drug. While on the West Coast a doctor was prescribing the drug for him, but since he left the Coast and came to Auckland about six months ago, he had difficulty in getting further proscriptions so he made out some himself. He forged the names of doctors to them and obtained supplies of the drug from chemists. They are only charged in relation to two of the offences. Both are respectable. ' They admit they could not do with the amount of the drug prescribed by the Health Department. Dr. Usher lias now taken them in hand and ho is gradually weakening them of the drug. ’ ’ Dr. Esher told the Magistrate he had Ijeeii’authorised by (he Health Ihpa i f moat to treat the couple. “When they arrived in Auckland they were taking o| grains per day each," he said. “The Health Department advised me to try grains each day, and by their confidence and courage this amount lias been still further reduced. Little by little we have reduced the quantity and I have now got it down to It grains per day. These two people are doing their best. In fact it is the best effort I have heard of of their type. The husband is a highly skilled man and works hard,” Dr. Usher suggested to Hie Magistrate that it would give the defendants a chance still further to improve if an order was made Hint their names should not be published.

Mr. Orr Walker: They have not injured anyone except themselves by oNaining the drug in tills manner

“That is so, sir.’’ Each was convicted and ordered to come np for sentence if called upon within six months on a special condition that they complied with the directions of the medical officer appointed by the Health Department. The Magistrate made an order for the suppression of defendants' names.