PATENT MEDICINE SALES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20025, 25 August 1939, Page 11

PATENT MEDICINE SALES

INQUIRY FAVOURED

UPPER HOUSE DECISION

ALSATIAN DOG BILL

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Tlie debate on the motion submitted by the Hon. V. A. Ward (Wellington), recommending the Government to set up a Parliamentary committee to investigate the sale of patent medicines and appliances, was continued in the Legislative Council yesterday. The Hon. B. Martin (Auckland) said a case had been made out for an investigation, and lie considered the motion should also .take in adulterated foodstuffs and shoddy clothing and footwear.

The Leader of the Council, the Hon. D. Wilson, congratulated Mr. Ward on bringing the matter before the council, and said that investigations had shown that patent medicines were sold at 700 and 800 per cent profit. Such profits were improper, even if the medicines were of value in illness. As far as the advertising of patent medicines by commercial broadcasting stations was concerned, every endeavour was made to see that the advertisers' did not make an extravagant claim, and some advertising contracts had been refused because the articles had been proved to be useless. After Mr. Ward hacl replied the motion was carried.

The Alsatian Dog' Bill (the Hon. C. J. Carrington, Auckland) was put through the committee stages and passed. The Property Law Amendment Bill and the Land Transfer Amendment Bill were each read the first time and the second time pro forma and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee.

The Leader of the Council, the Hon. D. Wilson, said the committee would consider the bills on August 30, so that interested parties could make representations regarding the proposed restrictions on the licensing of land brokers in the Lard Transfer Bill.