Interesting Correspondence.

Taihape Daily Times, 9 April 1919, Page 4

Interesting Correspondence.

(Published by Arrangement.)

WHY THE 8.M.A., DID NOT RELEASE THE OPINIONS OF ITS MEMBERS ON THE QUESTION OP aLw ,HOL. (By Telegraph.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

The great Town Hall was filled to the doors last evening at the final meeting held in connection with the campaign for Prohibition. The speakers, Mrs Atkinson, .Messrs. W. D. Hunt and R. S. Gray, received a most enthusiastic hearing. A notable meeting was Mrj Gray’s trenchant handling of an incident which occurred in Wellington a few days ago, in connection wish the Medical Association’s recent plebiscite on the question of alcohol. The details are as follows:

THE LIQUOR TRADE AND THE

MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

I. At its annual meeting in Wellington on March 4 the British Medical Asosciation received a deputation from the National Efficiency League and the New Zealand Alliance.

2, The deputation asked the Association to publicly express its opinion upon the influence of tEe

liquor* traffic on the general

health of the community. * 3 - The deputation of the Medical Association after lengthy discussion decided to submit the following questions to the individual members, and answers were requested not later than March 22:—• a. Do you approve of alcohol as a medicine? b. Do you believe that the efficiency of the community will be Increased by the total suppression of alcohol. 4. Objection was taken by the Efficiency League and the Alliance to the form of the questions, and it was suggested that the following should be substituted: --.j Are you of opinion that from a 1 general health point of view it • would be disadvantageous to the community if the use of alcohol were prohibited except for medicinal, sacramental and industrial purposes’” l The original questions bad, however, * beer, sent out. 5. On April 3 the chairman of the '' council of the Medical Association was requested by the New Zealand Alliance to publish the result of the referendum. 6. He replied that the result could not be published owing to a technical breach of the constitution. 7. The following letter was then sent to him. Wellington, April 5, 1919 Dr, Giesen, Chairman of Council Medical Association, Wellington, Dear Sir, —We have yours of the 4th hist., stating that, “Owing to a technical fault in procedure, the Association is not able to publish the results of "the referendum until the divisions to which the question has been referred have discussed thomatter. ’ ’ 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 he obtained in n time to be published before polling day. April 10. 2. That some hundreds of replies * have been 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 the liquor trade. 4.. That this meeting was presided over by Dr. Fyffe. 5. That he not only cast his deliberative vote in favour of holding up the publication of the result of the referendum, but also his casting vote, so that the matter

was decided upon the votes of Hr Fyffe.

6. That no important question has ever before in the history of the Association been decided on the deliberative and casting vote Of

the chairman. 7. That one of the divisions has intimated to the Council that, if the result of the referendum is not published by Monday, it will on that date make public the resolutions which it sent-as a remit to the annual meeting, and that thisresolution was strongly favourable to prohibition. In view of the urgency of the matter we shall be glad to have ar. immediate reply. Yours faith fully. -tt* W. D. HUNT, ** President National Efficiency League*.

E. S. Gray, President New Zealand Alliance, and chairman of the Council, replied as follows: — (Copy of letter from Dr. Geisen.) 300, Willis Street, Wellington. Trustees W. D. Hunt, Esq., and Rev. E. S, Gray. ; Gentlemen, —In reply to your letter of April 5, 1919, I have to state that the seven questions raised in # that letter are substantially correct. —Yours faithfully, (Signed) E. W. Giesen, Chairman of Council, B.My,A. CANTERBURY DOCTORS TAKE ACTION. M In connection with this matter, it is Interesting to note that the Canterbury division of the British Medical Association carried the following resolutions and handed them to the press for publication: — 1, That the efficiency of the community will bo greatly increased by the total suppression of alcohol. 2. That while alcohol may have a thereapeutic value in certain few instances, there are better thereapeutic agents which "have hot the dangers and objections of alcohol.