CHEMISTS BEWARE.

NZ Truth, Issue 133, 17 August 1907, Page 4

CHEMISTS BEWARE.

To the Editor of "The Chemist and Druggist of Australasia." Sir,—l desire to take this' opportunity of striking a note of warning to chemists throughout New Zealand and place them on the alert. The Pharmacy Board is like the snake m the grass ; beware of them ! They have mulcted you m paying' a tax of 10s per year, which is like purchasing your freedom. They have done nothing for you, and are not likely to. Therefore, bear m mind that every. fee you pay theni is put out on mortgage, and the proceeds of mis mortgage keep men m fat billets, such as the Registrar, who :is deriving a good living out of 'your hard^arned toil. "The secretarial duties could foe performed for £20 per year, and this amount'could, be paid out of proceeds of money received for examination fees. Don't forget that the Boards have now out at mortgage nearly £1,000 which has been squeezed out of the pockets of tlie poor chemists, who are striving to earn their daily bread, and working from daylight to dark to get it. Chemists, I say again, beware ! There is another i snake m the grass; and watc)i him this time. It is the same phiian- , trophic body, and it is now asking for another tax—the poison tax— which, you are supposed to pay yearly to enable you to vend poison; it is an extra tax of 5s a year, makino- 15s a year m all. I say, why should we pay this obnoxious tax ? 'Why not rise up and enter a strong protest by way of petitioning Parliament to stop this sweating ? We might just as well dwell m. Ireland, for the oppression never ceases; but m New Zealand, the land which is supposed to flow with milk and honey, and where every person of aoiy nationality receives the freedom under the British flag wSu'ch we always boast of ! I say, fellow chemists, beware and be careful !—Yours etc., FRANK SHAW. Blenheim, 1907,. The above shows the feeling m some quarters about the Pharmacy Board, which, by the way, has its headquarters m Auckland, the main members being G-. Bagleyi, R. D. Hanlcn, G-. W. Wilton and C. W. Nielsen (Registrar). George Mcc is president. Well, they had" a go at Mr E. R. Allpress, one of the oldest chemists m tne colony, and who had English experience before his arrival there long years ago- Because he wouldn't "part" he was threatened per medium of a lawyer's letter, and Hicn the sub-Registrar of Canterbury threatened that he would be struck off the roll, and would have to take his signboards m. This he did, and be damned to them. This is Allpress's certificate! :—