THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1908. "THE WORST FORM OF ROGUERY."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3003, 28 September 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1908. "THE WORST FORM OF ROGUERY."

When Mr J. T. M. Hornsby, M.P., turned his attention to quacks and their medicines, he certainly took up a question that demanded attention, and a work wherein lay the possibility of achieving some benefit to the people of the Dominion. Mr Hornsby could only have been animated by the best of impulses when he brought the whole quacic business before Parliament, and if he had bean allowed a free hand he would probably have got through. his alloted task with advantage to the Dominion and credit to himself. As it is, however, he can scarcely be pleased with the present "state" of. the Quackery Bill. The Government have a very strong weakness for legislation that may be termed domestic for want of a better name, and will, no doubt, if they survive long enough, succeed in regulating, all the actions ot the men and women of the Dominion from the tima they go to bed until they get up to partake of the State Breakfast, prepared,' possibly, accurding to Mr Fowld's idea of State "parritch." Consequently, when Mr Hornsby introduced his Quackery Bill there was a great

opportunity for a grand show off. 'Burning speeches, from which, interentially, it might be seen what really noble mer comprise our Parliament were forthcoming in large numbers —the theme was a perfectly safe one, not a single vote could be lost, while a few might be gained. The Government, however, have verylittle ability for genuine work. They are so accustomed to playing to the gallery, in a blaze of ther own vivid limelight, that they frequently do not see the practical side of the question. The Quackery Prevention Bill is a notable instance of both blindness and incapacity. The Bill simply prevents the advertising of quack medicines in New Zealand papers, but in keeping with the thoroughness of the Government, for advertising themselves, it is styled "The Quackery Prevention Bill!" Now the At-torney-General gave it as his opinion that the passing o£ the deal a blow at the worst form of roguery, which at present went unpunished." We do not agree at all with the correctness of the opinion of the Attorney-General in the respect mentioned, but we will concede that he is absolutely sincere in the view that he takes. We find then that instead of advocating and demanding that the Government shall suppress the sale of noxious medicines the Attorney-General is content with a measure that merely prohibits their being advertised -in New Zealand newspapers. It appears that the whole country can be flooded with advertising pamphlets, and, of course, innumerable publications, published outside of New Zealand, concaining any number of advertisements of quacks and quack medicines, are and will be sold in the country. The efforts of the Government then to suppress the sale of noxious medi- , cines culminate in the amazing performance of placing another restriction on the New Zealand press, and one which is farcical in character. If there is nothing objectionable in a quack medicine there is nothing objectionable in its sale—hence the advertising of such a medicine would not be objectionable. There are, of course, patent medicines as good as any prescribed by any doctor—there are, also, quacks, who are far more capable in the treatment of disease, than some dunder-headsd legally qualified medical practitioners. There are, of course, frauds in every profession and trade, but these questions are quite apart from the devising of a proper measure to suppress what is objection' able in the quackery business.