A NOTABLE MEETING.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1919, Page 5

A NOTABLE MEETING.

A RECENT INCIDENT. TRENCHANTLY HANDLED. (Published by arrangement.) Wellington, Last Night. Great interest was evinced at a final prohibition rally iu the Town Hall, Wellington, to-night. The speakers were Messrs. W. D. Hunt and 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 follows: THE LIQUOR TRADE AND THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. (1) At its annual meeting in Wellington, on March 4, the British Medical Association 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 the liquor traffic on 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 22: Do you approve of alcohol a 9 a medicine 1 Do you believe that the efficiency ' of the community will be increased by the total suppression of alcohol? (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. (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: Are you of opinion that from a general health point of view it would be advantageous to the community if the use of alcohol were prohibited except for medicinal, sacramental and industrial purposes ? The original questions had, however; been sent out. (6) He replied that the result could not be published, owing to a technical breach of the constitution. (7) The following letter was sent to him; Wellington, . April 6, 1910. Dr. Qiesen, Chairman of Council, Medical Association, Wellington. Dear Sir,—We have yours of the 4th instant, 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 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 10). (2) That Borne 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 inter- , ested in the liquor trade. j (4) That the meeting was presided over by Dr. Fyffe. (5) That he not only east his deliberation vote in favor 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 Dr. Fyffe. (0) 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 resolution which it sent as a remit to the annual meeting, and that this resolution was strongly favorable to prohibition. In view of the urgency of the matter we shall be glad to have an immedia,te reply. Yours faithfully. W. D. HUNT, President National Efficiency „ „ League. R. S. GRAY, President N.Z. Alliance. (8) The chairman of the Council replied as follows: 200 Willis St., Wellington. Gentlemen—ln reply to your letter of April 5, M 9, I have to state that the seven questions raised in that letter are substantially correct Yours faithfully, W. GEISEN, Chairinau of Council of B.M.A. j : / f T6 : W.D. HUNT, Esq., and Rev. I " R.S.GRAY. The liquor trades unclean influence in politics and commerce is well known, but tow people would • have believed that through members personally interested in tlie ' : tradu" and a pro-iiquor chairman it could hold up the whole medical association on a great national issue gravely affecting the health of the peo-' pie.

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 the national life.