SEEKING MORE POWER

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11415, 11 January 1923, Page 7

SEEKING MORE POWER

PHARMACISTS CONFER UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS SUGGESTED. SATURDAY OPENING QUESTION. A pharmaceutical conference does not at first glance seem to offer much scope for news of a character that is interesting to the general publio, yet at the Australian and New Zealand Pharmaceutical Conference. which opens at the Dominion Farmers’ Institute to-day, several matters which are of considerable interest to many people will come under consideration. SCHOOL OF PHARMACY. A remit from the Southland division is to the effect that a school of pharmacy be established in Dunedin. It is hoped to get a sohool of pharmacy in Wellington as the most suitable centre for the Dominion. In Dunedin they have a medical school which specialises in medical subjeots, and they are strong on the medical faculty. There is opposition to the Dunedin proposal from the, northern centres, which dislike the idea of sending their apprentices so far away. The' proposal under discussion is that the four . centre university colleges should supply tuition for pharmacy students, and in conjunction with these it is proposed that the University of New Zealand should so modify its examination syllabus in pharmacy subjects that candidates can take university examinations in place of the present Pharmacy' Board examinations. SIMILAR TO B.M.A.

The following .significant remit comes from the Otago division:—That the Pharmacy Act, 1908, be amended to I give the hoard power to remove from ■ the register the name of any chemist who, in the opinion of a majority of : all the members of the board, is unfit ; to remain upon the register owing to disreputable character. I A “Times” reporter was informed | that there was no need for such power ’as this, which would he practically canal to the powers of the British Medical Association. SATURDAY EVENING OPENING. The following recommendation also comes from the Otago centre: —That representations bo made to the Minister for Labour to permit employment of chemists’ assistants on Saturday evenings as a part of the weekly hours without overtime payment or compensatory time off. Or —to permit assistants to he employed at all times when chemists’ shops may legally be open so long as the statutory hours 'of employment are not exceeded. It is stated that when the chemist reopens his shop on the Saturday j ’.light it is purely for the benefit of the i public, for there is no profit attaching to it. Although it is legal to open it is not legal to employ an assistant for this hour unless he is given double time off during the subsequent week. It is desired to bring this particular hour into the regular hours of employment. OPIUM LAWS. A recommendation fyom the Wanganui division is to the effect that steps be taken to investigate and, if necessary, to modify the existing opium laws and regulations. CONSULTING ROOMS. The Wellington division is responsible for,the remit: “That the following addition to the code of ethics he submitted to the B.M.A. for approval: —-Consulting rooms: Both parties to this code are agreed' that it is highly undesirable that a medical practitioner shoud make use of any part of a chemist’s business premises for the purpose of a consulting room.”