VoL ii. No. 4. 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA. 
being put forward by the kindred societies in the dift'erent i 
colonies to so assimilate their methods of teaching and 
standard of attainments as to permit of an interchange of cer- j 
titicates and dii^lomas, so that it was all the more necessary i 
for the Society of this colony to alford its students e<inal 
facilities with those enjoyed by students in other colonies, the 
Pharmaceutical Society in Victoria receiving subsidy of £1000 
per annum. 10. The Royal Society and the Linntean Society 
in this colony had for some time past been granted £1 for 
every £2 subscribed by the members; and, in addition, a sum 
of £12,000 was annually granted for the purpose of subsidising 
various educational institutions in the same ratio. 11. The 
Society, now numbering 400 members and 50 associates, ' 
therefore, trusted, that in view of the facts alluded to the 
Minister would see fit to grant to them the usual £1 subsidy 
for every £2 subscribed by the members. 12. It was further 
hoped that the Minister would do his utmost to facilitate the 
passing ofthe Society's Act of Incorporation, which act had been 
favourably reported upon by the Committee apx^ointed to take 
-evidence in the last Parliament. 
In conclusion, Mr. Pinhey said, “I may add that we are for- 
tunate in having at this time at the head of the department 
a gentleman who has ever had at heart the advancement of 
education in all its branches in this colony. We therefore 
trust that you will feel fully justified in acceding to this, we 
conceive, our reasonable request.” 
Mr. Sadler briefly spoke in support of the objects sought by 
the deputation, and stated that the subsidy asked for was the 
more required since no fees were charged to the students. 
Mr. Inglis remarked that it had just occurred to him to 
inquire what fees were charged, and it seemed to him that 
there was a good deal of sound policy in the old maxim that 
something for nothing is not much valued.” 
Mr. Sadler replied that it was desired to maintain the exa- 
minations at a very high standard, and the society had not 
been desirous that any intending student, no matter what 
might be his financial position, should be able to say he was 
not rich enough to acquire sufficient knowledge to pass them. 
Mr. Inglis questioned whether the society was not with all 
due intent to act for the best, infringing an extremely sound 
principle. They admitted the value of the education which was 
given — and so did anybody who took the trouble to consider — 
and yet they did not scruple to apply for assistance to a (Go- 
vernment at a time wdien an almost unprecedented financial 
depression existed, without in any way having asked the stu- 
dents to pay for a most valuable boon, a quid pro quo. It 
seemed to him to be a rather important point whether the 
society were not possibly acting with a somewhat unwise 
liberality, A thing that was worth having was surely worth 
paying for. 
Mr. Burdekin suggested that whilst a small fee was no doubt 
desirable, where possible, might it not happen that by charg- 
ing any considerable fee the society would greatly contract its 
sphere of usefulness ? 
Mr. Pinhey stated that he was of 02 )inion that any consider- 
able fee would undoubtedly press hardly uj^on some at least of 
the students, for it must be kept in mind that many of them 
were in receipt of salaries which were in many cases nominal, 
and as such students were not as a rule the sons of wealthy ; 
parents, but rather the reverse, it seemed to him that even the i 
charging of a small fee would tend to shut out some, I 
Mr. Inglis said there was some force in what had been ad- | 
vanced, hut at the same time he thought a small fee would 
have the effect of causing the instruction given to be more 
highly valued. 
Mr. Mayne said that it must not be forgotten that students 
had other calls upon their resources — that it was necessary i 
for them to receive private tuition, for which of course fees I 
were charged, and an examination fee of three guineas had ! 
also to be jiaid to the Board of Pharmacy. In addition there | 
were the fees for registration under the Sale and Use of 
Poisons Act, and also the usual fee for a diploma or certifi- 
cate. In Victoria, where the Pharmaceutical Society received 
I a very large annual subsidy, an agitation was at i:)resent being 
I raised against the scale of fees charged. 
Mr. Sadler said that the system adopted by the society was 
I in keeping with the jpolicy of imparting free instruction 
I throughout the colonies. 
j Mr, Inglis questioned whether that jpolicy had not been 
I -carried too far, and whether a reaction in people’s minds had 
i not set in. At the same time he admitted the force of the 
I -arguments used. He might say that he had made himself 
87 
acquainted with all that had been j^reviously done in his de- 
partment in this matter, and was therefore fully able to deal 
with the case. He had very carefully read over the whole of 
the papers in connection with the subject, also the draft bill 
which it was 2 )roj)osed to deal with, and likewise the Poisons 
Act, so that he was thoroughly acquainted with the subject. 
Still, while he thought that the society was one which was 
likely to do an immense amount of public good, and having a 
very great sympathy with its objects, he would not like to 
pledge himself to any definite promise as to a subsidy this 
year without consulting the Cabinet beforehand. He recog- 
nised to the fullest the analogy which was sought to be drawn 
with regard to the Royal Society and the Linmean Society, 
both of which really, in some asjiects of their work, were not 
so jiractical as the Pharmaceutical Society. Still, the (.ros'ern- 
ment were forced to look with extreme care and vigilance ui)on 
any attempt to increase the existing burdens of the State. If 
he could be permitted to make a personal allusion, he might 
remark that during his student days he had studied chemistry 
at Tasmania and that for two years he chanced to he a chemistry 
University gold-medallist in Glasgow. He had also at one 
period of his colonial experience kept a chemist’s shop at Ximam 
in New Zealand, so that the deputation would admit that he took 
an active and a keen jiersonal interest i]i the welfare and pro- 
gress of the important society which they rej^resented. He 
would 2 )lace the matter before the Cabinet, and the de]outatian 
might dejjend U|)on him not to report unfavourably to their 
request. At the same time he could not hold out any very 
ardent hope that the subsidy would be granted this year, in 
view of the financial state of affairs, but he saw no reason 
why, at some future time, if not at i)resent, something should 
not be done to aid the society in their important work. 
As regarded the Act of Incorporation he had read it through 
and could see nothing in it that he thought could be taken ob- 
jection to. On the contrary, he saw a good deal in it that he 
considered |:)raiseworthy. He noticed that provision was 
made in the bye-laws for the charging of fees. At the pre- 
sent time, however, the jiress of important matters was so 
great that he could not see his way to take up the Act as a 
Government measure. 
Mr. Pinhey explained that the Minister was under a misap- 
prehension. All that was asked was that he (Mr. Inglis) 
would personally facilitate the passing of the Act as far as lay 
in his power. ' 
Mr. Inglis said as far as he could at present see there was 
no reason why he should not do so, and he was of ojpinion the 
Act would be well received by both sides of the House, and if 
taken in charge by some energetic member would probably 
pass without any difficulty, as in such a case as this there 
was no likelihood of there being any party feeling introduced. 
With reference to the subsidy asked for, he desired to have an 
idea of what the amount would probably be, and what the 
Society’s income from all sources was. 
Mr. Pinhey said he would furnish the Minister with a re- 
turn showing the Society’s income for the last three years. 
There could be no doubt that the subsidy should have been 
asked for years ago, but the Society had preferred to go 'on at 
their own expense as long as they were able, and now only 
sought the subsidy granted to numerous other institutions, 
which, he submitted, had not the same claim to be called 
educational institutions. As far as he could recall to mind 
the Society’s income for the last three years was between 
£250 and £300, so that in all i^robability the subsidy which it 
was sought to obtain from Government would not exceed £150 
per annum. He would, however, furnish the exact figures. 
Possibly the Government might place a sum on the supple- 
mentary estimates. 
Mr. Inglis remarked that the Estimates-in-chief had been 
already closed, and the Government had set their faces 
against supplementary estimates, tor experience had taught 
that they had been made a vehicle for putting most exorbi- 
tant, marvellous, and unjust — certainly unauthorised — bur- 
dens upon the people, ex 2 )enses which the colony ought never 
to have been called upon to bear. (Mr. Burdekin : “ Hear, 
hear.”) He, however, undertook not to lose sight of the im- 
l^ortant request which had been made. 
Mr. Pinhey pointed out that fees from the Poisons Act in 
Melbourne reverted to the Pharmacy Board, whereas in this 
colony they were paid into and were retained by the Treasury. 
Mr. Sadler said that the Sale and Use of Poisons Act laid 
down p. certain standard, but no means whatever Avere pro- 
vided in the Act for enabling students to attain that standard, 
