REFERENCE WITHHELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19158, 26 October 1925, Page 10

REFERENCE WITHHELD.

COUNCIL WANTS APOLOGY.

INCIDENT AT MORRINSVILLE.

[FY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] MORRINSVILLE, Saturday.

The dismissal of a borough employee and a refusal to give him a reference brought to light allegations said to have been made against the Mayor. The matter was referred to at the Borough Council meeting, Mr. Dendy being desirous of knowing what had taken place. The borough engineer, Mr. R. C. Branch, explained that the man had been dismissed for making statements he (the engineer) could not approve of. He had told the man he would give a reference, "and," continued the engineer, "immediately on top of that he accused me of putting him off for political reasons. I told him that until he apologised I could not give liim a reference." Mr. Dendy moved that the council write to the "man stating that if he apologised he would receive a reference. Jn seconding the motion Mr. McPhcrson said he supported it, as it would be in vindication of the engineer and also of the Mayor, concerning whom remarks had been made. The motion to write to the man was carried, and the council decided to make a practice of giving references to all employees who might leave after being with the council for six continuous months, the reference to set out both merits and demerits. ' (Published by Arrangement.) DOCTORS CONDEMN "DRY" LAW. U.S. MEDICAL ASSOCIATION PROTESTS AGAINST PROHIBITION. The following despatch from Atlantic City, N.J., May 27, 1925, clearly shows the true attitude of the medical profession toward prohibition:— "The American Medical Association has declared itself of the opinion that alcohol is essential to the treatment of disease, and, through the passage of a resolution, has asked Congress to modify the Volstead Act (Prohibition) to permit physicians to prescribe as .much whisky,. brandy, or gin as they think necessary."

This despatch gives the final and complete reply to those professional prohibitionists who are ■ endeavouring to mislead the electors of New Zealand by "hedging" over the attitude of the medical profession toward the tyrannical and farcical law which they are trying to foist on this Dominion.