Quackery Prevention Bill.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 1, Issue 5, 20 January 1911, Page 6

Quackery Prevention Bill.

(Extract from " N.Z. Hansard," July 17, 1907, p. 481.) Mr. Hornsby (Wairarapa) : Sir, I think I should best consult the wishes of the members of the House, if mi moving the second reading of this Bill, I made my remarks very short. The Bill is a different one from that introduced by myself last session, in so far that it has beer considerably shortened and simplified. I have also taken steps, Sir, to have this Bill referred to a Select Committee of the House, with power to call for persons and papers, and to report to this House after it has gone through the Bill thoroughly and investigated many of the facts that Avill be brought before that Committee by way of evidence. I Avould like, first of all, Sir, to congratulate the Government on the effect that has been produced by the passing of that Act last session, the Post Offices Act. By means of the provisions of that measure, Sir, many of the charlatans that are prey-ir-g — Mr. R McKenzie (Motueka, I rise to a point of order. I want to know, Sir, whether the honourable member can debate tho Bill at this stage. I notice that he placed a notice of motion on the Order Paper for a Select Committee to be set up to deal with this Bill. Mr Speaker: The honourable member is quite in order in moving the second reading of a Bill upon the Order Paper. Mr. R. McKenzie: But without debate? Mr. Speaker: This Bill is not put do.vn ior pro forma second reading. Mr. Hornsby: When I was interrupted I Avas trying to pay a compliment to the Government for its action in connection with a measure that has prevented a number of the charlatans from preying upon the public and making use of the unfortunate ones of the community through their credulity. It will be noticed that in this Bill I am endeavouring to deal v.ith some of the matters that are not dealt Avith in that Act of last session. And I would like to call attention of the members of this House —or, rather, I would like to waken their memory for a moment in connection with that lamentable case at Christchurch recently, and the remarks the Coroner made at the inquest held into that matter. There, Sir, was a thorough exposition of the way in which these quacks prey upon the rest of the community. Now, this Bill of mine deals with that phase of an important question, and Avith one or two other phases. So that honourable members may understand the lines on Avhich I wish to proceed in this Bill, I want to place qn_ record the analyses of certain medicines. Mr. Hornsby then put on record some of the analyses mentioned elsewhere, and continued to address the House as follows :— " Sir, I shall not read any more of these alleged remedies. There are prices set down here opposite the constituent parts of these so-called medicines which show us conclusively that four-ounce bottles of these medicines would not have a greater value in them —that is to say, no greater expenditure would be entailed in supplying them than 3d. to 4£d. each. There may be one or two of them where there are spirits or an expensive drug employed which would cost a little dearer than that, but at the outside not one of these medicines would cost more than 6d. per four-ounce bottle, so honourable members can see at once how it is that these people are able to publish advertisements in every paper in the known world and in every language. It is a very good thing for the newspapers, I have no doubt, but it is a bad thing for the people who purchase these nostrums. What I desire to say noAv, Sir, is this: this Bill of mine will not prevent any honest practitioner, or herbalist, or chemist, or any other man who is prepared to establish his bona fides from carrying on his trade or profession in this Dominion. It will not affect the honest practitioner, but it will prevent the charlatan and the quack from trading upon tho credulity of the people. Sir, I shall not occupy the time of the House any longer, because, as I have already said, I desire to have this Bill sent to a Select Committee of the House. That Committee Avill call for persons and papers and take evidence, and I hope that honourable members will, as they did on a former occasion when the second reading of the Bill tpok place, give mc their sympathetic assistance—because this is one of the things that, I know, is rather a thankless task. I know I have the active sympathy of the House

and of many thousands of people outside of this House. These men who trade on the credulity of the public are adding victims every day to their rapacity, and to theeA r erlasting disgrace of these men, be it said, their vile business is carried on in all parts of NeAV Zealand. As I have said, the Government has put a stop—and I am thankful for that, and so must every man be—to those wretched people Avho used to advertise their sexual remedies in this country. They have been driven out of New Zealand. Their advertisements are useless to them, because the Government will not deliver or send through the Post Office any letter addressed to these scamps, nor any publication containing the advertisements of those who have been carrying on from Australia their nefarious practices in this country. Numbers of the charlatans have already been driven out, and I hope we shall see the last of them before very long if we succeed in getting a workable measure such as the Bill now before the House; and I would ask honourable members to assist mc in making this a workable measure. If we succeed in placing on the Statute Book something of the kind I have submitted, I believe we will be doing a good AA r ork for the people of this country. We will be doing a good work for many of those who, like drowning men catching at a straw, patronise these vampires. The poor people who are suffering from cancer, consumption and other terrible scourges of our civilisation, Avhen they see these atrocious advertisements in the newspapers really believe that these villains can do them some good. Some of them deprive themselves of furniture and else they have in the AA r orld in order to get these perfectly useless drugs. It is a shame that the people should be victimised in this way. I am only asking that the House will take this matter into its consideration, and I know that members will help in this way. If we can by working together in this matter —by a united effort—place a workable measure on the Statute Book, I feel assured it will do a tremendous amount of good to suffering humanity by keeping these charlatans and these other villains who practise on the credulity of the people of our country right away from our shores. Sir, I have much pleasure in moving the second reading of the Bill. Bill read a second time. Mr. Hornsby moved, " That a Select Committee be appointed to take evidence and report on the Quackery Prevention Bill; the Committee to have poAver to call for persons and papers; three to form a quorum ; the Committee to consist of Mr. J. Allen, Hon. Mr. FoAvlds, Mr. Gray, Mr. Hanan Mr. Jennings, Mr. R. McKenzie, Mr. Mander, Mr. Remington and the mover. Motion agreed to.

At the annual supper of the Melbourne Medical Association, Dr. H. M. Hewlett, in delivering the retiring president's address, said Australia appeared to have a more unenviable reputation for fostering evils and abuses of quackery than any other part of the world. The increased mortality which was due to that cause was enormous. It was a crying evil, which the State looked on complacently, allowing cancer " cures " and consumptior "cures" to be foisted on an ignorant public. The only means of dealing w-ith quackery was legislation. Every preparation for the prevention or cure of a human ailment should have a formula on the label, and no recommendation, testimonial, certificate or declaration of merit should be permitted. The aid of the postal authorities should be sought to prevent the transmission of advertisements and circulars dealing with quack preparations. In that way Australia would be copying legislation ot enlightened and advanced Continental nations.