“I DO NOT KNOW COLONEL KNOTT,” SAYS POLICE INSPECTOR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17865, 5 June 1926, Page 1

“I DO NOT KNOW COLONEL KNOTT,” SAYS POLICE INSPECTOR.

SOCIAL WORKERS HOLD HE HAS SPOKEN TOO SOON,

The statement that the Inspector of Police at Christchurch knew all about an existing state of affairs that would open the eyes of many people in regard to drug-taking and secret societies was put to Inspector A. Cameron this morning. “I do not know who Colonel Knott is,” stated the inspector, “and I do not know where he got his information from, but owing to

regulations which forbid me I am unable to make any comment on his statement. There is no doubt, however, that the matter will be dealt with through the official channels.” Amendments Wanted. “What we want is the amending of the Drugs Act, and the Minister concerned has promised to bring down legislation in the coming session. The Act has not been amended for 50 years; new drugs have been discovered and they are not included in the Act,” said Mrs H. F. Herbert, a member of the Children’s Court and chairwoman of the Benevolent Committee of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. Mrs Herbert quoted a case of a woman buying up to £ls worth of a drug at a time. “However,” she said, “I know of no organisation for the distribution of drugs. I have come across many people addicted to drugs, but they have not been young. They are generally people who have had protracted illnesses, or those who work under great stress, such as attendants on patients. They have started by taking a little to secure sleep and have gradually increased the dose. They have not been young people. Aspros and aspirins are largely taken as is well known. Young people who keep late hours are tired in the morning and take these to brighten them up, but I think the effect is depressing. The Pharmacy Association is averse to the indiscriminate supply of drugs and, I think, would welcome amendments to the Act governing them. That point is one which requires stressing—the amending of the Act.” Position .Exaggerated. “I feel that the position has been exaggerated,” said the Rev Percy Revell. ‘‘The observation of one or two bad cases may have had an exaggerating effect on the visitor.” The Rev Frank Rule, when approached on the subject, said that he would not like to say anything at the present moment. “I think Colonel Knott has spoken too soon, though,” he added, the obvious meaning, of course, being that Colonel Ivnott had not been long enough in the country to be competent to express an authoritative opinion. May be Right; May be Wrong. ‘‘We don’t get drug cases of the type that Colonel Knott speaks of here,” said Dr W. Fox, Medical Superintendent of the Christchurch Hospital this morning. “His statement may be right and it may be wrong. The Salvation Army gets into touch with some of the worst types of those who are down and out, but they are not hospital cases. i “Occasionally we get old cases, but we do not get young people suffering from the effects of drugs,” he added. Dr Fox added that even with Chinamen, who were popularly supposed to be opium addicts, few cases were come across. “They take opium as we take a cigarette, and probably for the same reason,” he said. “When a Chinaman falls down from the effects of opium, it is similar to a man falling down through over indulgence in drink.” The question was where they got the drugs from, continued the speaker. He did not know where those who took drugs got their supplies. The Act had not been amended for many years, but he understood that attention was now being given to it. “They don’t come our way,” was the remark of Dr Bennett, assistant Medical Superintendent, when he read Colonel Knott’s remarks.