INFLUENCE OF THE TRADE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 9 April 1919, Page 8

INFLUENCE OF THE TRADE

CONSPIRACY EXPOSED. WELLINGTON, April 8. Great interest was evinced at a final prohibition rally in the Town Hall, Wellington, The speakers were Mr W. D. Hunt and Rev. R. S. Gray. The most notable event of a notable meeting was the trenchant handling of a recent incident which occurred at a meeting of the British Medical Association in Wellington. The substance of the occurrence was as follows: THE LIQUOR .TRADE AND THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. (1) At its annual meeting in Wellington on March 4, the British Me&i- . cal Association received a deputation from the National Efficiency League • and the New Zealand Alliance. I (2) The deputation asked the Association to publicly express ite opinion upon the influence of the liquor traffic on tIEe general.health of the community. (3) The Medical Association, after a lengthy discussion, decided to submit the following questions to the individual members, and answers were requested not later than March 22: Do you approve of alcohol as a medicine? Do you believe that the efficiency of the community will be increased by the total suppression of alcohol ? (5) On April 3 the chairman of the Council of the Medical Association, was : requested by the New Zealand ADMano© to publish the result of tflxe referendum, | (4) Objection was taken by the Efficiency League and the Allilance to the form of tne questions, and it was suggested that the following should be «üb_ , stiituted: Are you of opinion that from a general health point of view it would be advantageous to the community if the rse of alcohol were prohibited except for medicinal, sacramenl&l and industrial purposes? Th© original questions had, however, been sent out. (6) He replied that the result oould not be published, owing to a technical breach of the constitution. *■ (7) The following letter was sent to Wellington, April 5, 191$, Dr. Grieseh, Chairman of Council Medical Association, Wellington. Dear Sir, —We have yours of the 4th anst., stating that "Owing to a technical fault in procedure the Association is not able to publish the results of the referendum until the divisions to which the question has been referred have discussed the matter. As the matter is of vital public importance we desire to know whether it is not a fact : (1) That the decision of the division cannot possible be obtained in time to be published before polling day (April 10). (2) That some, fcunclreds oC replies have been received. (3) That the meeting at which it was decided not to publish the re~ . suit of the referendum was called at the instigation of members personally interested in the liquor trade. (4) That the meeting was presided over by Dr Fyffe. (o). That he not only ca<st his deliberation vote in favor of holding up the publication of the result of the referendum, but also his casting vote so that the matter was decided upon the votes of Dr Fyffe. (6) That no important queston has ever before in the history of the Association been decided' on the deliberative and casting vote of the chairman. J (7) That one of the divisions has | intimated to the Council that if the ! result of the referendum is not pubj lished by Monday it. will on that date \ | make public the resolution which it i j sent as- a remit to the annual meeting, and that tils resolution was strongly favorable to prohibition. In view of the urgency of the mat. ter we shall "be glad to have an irame- ; diate reply.—Yours faithfully, W. D. HUNT, President National Efficiency League. R. S. GRAY. President N.Z. Allanoe. (8) The chairman of the Council re- I plied as follows: 200 Willis St., Wellington. Gentlemen, —In reply to your letter of April 5, 1919, I have to state that the seven questions raised in that letter are substantially correct. • —Yours faithfully, W. GIESEN, Chairman of Council of B.M.A. To W. D. HUNT, Esq., and Rev. R. S. GRAY. The liquor trade's unclean influence in politics and commerce is well known, but few people would have believed that through members personally interested in the "trade" and a pro-liquor ibhairman it could hold up the whole medical association on a great national issue gravely affecting the health of the people. The Medical Association will probably deal with this in its own way, but electors are asked whether it is not time that this "trade" was banished from the national life.