WELLINGTON PROHIBITION RALLY.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15042, 9 April 1919, Page 5

WELLINGTON PROHIBITION RALLY.

MEDICAL PROFESSION AND

LIQUOR.

Wellington, April 8. ~- Great interest was evinced at a final Prohibition rally in the Town Hall, Wellington/ to-night, the speakers were Messrs W.-D.. Hunt and the 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 folknvs:— THE LIQUOR TRADE AND THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. (1) At its annual meeting in Wellington on March;4th the British Medical Association received a deputation from the National Efficiency League and theNew Zealand Alliance. (2) The deputation asked the association to publicly express its opinion upon the influence of .the liquor traffic in the 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 22nd:— (a) Do you approve of alcohol as a medicine? (by Do you believe that the efficiency of the community will be increased by the total suppression of alcohol? On April 3rd the chairman of tEe Council of the Medical Association was requested by tiie New Zealand Alliance to publish the result of the referendum. (4) Objection,was taken by the Efficiency League and the Alliance to the form o£ the question, and it. was suggested that the following should be substituted:— Question. —"Are you of opinion that from a general health point of viewit would be advantageous to the community if the use of alcohol were prohibited except for medical, sacramental, and industrial purpales'?" ■ ■ The general questions had, however, been sent out. He replied that the result could not be published owing to a technical breach of the constitution. The following letter was then sent to him:— Wellington, . " . April sth, 1919. Dr. Giesen, Chairman of the Council of the • Medical Association, _- , Wellington. Dear Sir,— We have yours of the 4th inst. stating that owing to a technical fault in procedure the association is hot able to publish the result of the referendum until the division to whicft' 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 possibly be obtained in time to be published before polling day April 10th. .■ . (2). That some hundreds of replies have received. (3) That the meeting at which, it was decided not to publish the result of the referendum was called at the instigation of members personally interested, in tiie liquor trade. (4) That the meeting was presided over. by Dr. Fyife. (5) That he not only cast his deliberative vote in favour of holding upthe publication of the result of the . referendum, but also his casting vote so that the matter was decided nponthe votes of Dr. Fyffe. (6) That one of the divisions has in&i-> mated to the Council that if the result of the referendum is not published by Monday it will on that daie :iiake piiblio the resolution whichi;it sent as a remit to' the aimual-meeting,-and that this resolution was . strongly favour- ; able I* rkitr »f fixe urgency of the matter,, we shaUJb© glad to have an immediate reply. . Yours faithfully, W. D. HUNT, (President National Efficiency League.) * R. S. GRAY, (President N.Z. Alliance.) The chairman of the Council replied? as follows:-— / "200 Willis Street, Wellington. Gentlemen, — In reply to your letter of April sth, 1919, I have to state that the seven questions raised izt that letter are substantially correct. Yours faithfully, (Signed) ELI GD3SEN. (Chairman, of Council, 8.M.A.) W. D. Hunt, Esq. Rev. R. S. Gray. The liquor trade's undean influencein politics and commerce is welF known, 'but few people would have believed that it could hold up the whole Medical. Association on. a . great national issuegravely 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 national life.