SALES OF POISON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18942, 13 February 1925, Page 11

SALES OF POISON.

CANCELLED GAZETTE NOTICE. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. [J3X TEX.EGEAPH. —OWN COTI RESPONDENT.] II AMI LION. Thursday. An amusing episode in which a number of grocers and tho police are concerned has occurred at. Hamilton during the last, few days. About a year ago a certain disinfectant was gazetted a poison under the Poisons Act, which requires grocers and others selling it io obtain a license and when making sales enter particulars .in- a book for tho purpose. Tho Commissioner of Police felt that grocers were becoming slack in regard to their legal obligations, and he issued instructions to tako action against those who were not observing the law. Last week a constable, accompanied by a police matron, visited most of tho Hamilton stores, and the woman purchased bottles of tho disinfectant while the policeman remained outside. In several instances it was found that tho grocers held licenses, but in the majority of cases sales were made by grocers who had not. complied with the law as it stood a year ago. It has just been discovered that, the gazette notice of a year ago was revoked on February 2, and that those grocers selling the disinfectant on the subsequent dates without a license had not, committed a breach of the Act. The grocers concerned are daily awaiting the service of summonses, and will be relieved to learn that no action is being taken against them. In tho meantime a mantelpieeo in tho police station resembles a shelf in a chemist's shop, and the local police have the mortification of knowing that they have spent time and money on a campaign which could have been saved had their headquarters' office advised them immediately of the Government's intention to revoko tho gazette notice.