THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
423 
Mr. Pond proposed Mr. Shillinglaw’ s health, and said that he should always 
remember with great pleasure the kindness shown to him by that gentleman. 
The attention and forethought which had characterised the carrying out of the 
business arrangements of the Conference reflected the greatest credit on Mr. 
Shillinglaw, and he trusted that he would be long spared to enjoy a happy and 
prosperous life. 
Mr. Shillinglaw, while thanking the gentlemen present for their good wishes, 
said he thought it scarcely fair to take all the credit to himself. He might 
mention that Messrs. Tompsitt, Blackett, Huntsman, and R. P. Francis had each 
done a great deal of work to make the Conference a success. It was exceedingly 
pleasant for him to know that they would take away wi h them pleasing recollec- 
tions of Victoria and the first Intercolonial Pharmaceutical Conference. 
THE CONFERENCE AND ITS RESULTS. 
“ The end crowns the work.” Since our last issue the Conference which has 
for so long a period occupied a leading position in the thoughts and discussions 
of Australian pharmacists has met, and brought its labours to a successful 
termination— successful, it may be added, to a degree far exceeding the most 
sanguine hopes even of those who have been foremost in the movement. And 
while the gentlemen taking part in it have every reason to feel proud of having 
been privileged to attend as the chosen representatives of their respective colonies, 
it is not too much to say that the colonies have in every instance reason to 
congratulate themselves on their selection, and that the delegates to the first 
Intercolonial Pharmaceutical Conference would have done credit to themselves and 
their constitutents at any gathering of a similar character throughout the world. 
Unlike the majority of public discussions, there was a refreshing absence during 
the sittings of any attempts at “speechifying” or fine phrases, every delegate 
speaking like a man penetrated with a sense of the deep responsibility of his position ; 
the discussions, even when most animated, giving plain evidence that the speakers 
had come to their duties without any mental reservations, and resolutely deter- 
mined to speak to and vote on each question on its merits. The hearty sympathy 
displayed by each and all with the main objects in view was, it must be con- 
fessed, a grateful surprise to ourselves, bearing in mind the ingeniously cloaked 
attempts which have for some time past been made to foment discord and 
jealousy by the raising of paltry side issues— attempts which, it is now evident, 
have been treated with the contempt they deserved. 
With the various resolutions proposed for discussion, and our views upon 
them, our readers are already pretty familiar, and it is only necessary for us here 
to give a brief resume of the leading points brought out in discussion, the details 
of which will be found in our special report elsewhere. 
During the first day the unanimity displayed in the adoption of the first 
resolution-affirming the desirability of a uniform system of education-augured 
well for the success of the meeting. On clause a, dealing with the preliminary 
-examination, it was argued on behalf of South Australia and Tasmania that, in 
the absence of legislation, there would be a difficulty in making it compulsory, but 
Mr Blackett pointed out that this could be overcome for the time being by an under- 
standing among pharmacists not to accept anyone as apprentice who had not passed 
such an examination, and no further opposition was offered to its acceptance. A 
gratifying unanimity also existed as to the necessity (clause b) for a four years' 
apprenticeship; even Mr. Pond, who proposed, and Mr. Potts, who seconded, an 
amendment to reduce the term to three years explaining that they were personally 
in sympathy with the longer period, which was ultimately adopted, as was also the 
