88 THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA. April 1, 1887. 
and consequently the work had to be undertaken by the Phar- 
maceutical Society at their own expense, whilst the fees re- 
sulting under the Act were v;holly retained by the Govern- 
ment. 
Mr. Inglis thought that these were very strong arguments, 
and he would take care that they were duly represented to the 
Cabinet. He would have a ]>rcd>i made of the whole matter, 
and would in due course submit it to his colleagues. 
Mr. Pinhey remarked that the department of Pharmacy in 
the Technical College was supported almost entirely at the 
Government exiiense, and as the students attending the 
Society’s Shool of i’harmacy were much greater in number 
than those attending the department of Pharmacy at the 
Technical College, he conceived that the Society had at least 
as good a claim to assistance. 
Mr. Inglis said he was aware that there had been some little 
friction between the two bodies, and was of opinion that the 
Hoard of Technical Education had been too ambitious in 
seeking to embrace every subject within their teaching. 
The deputation then thanked the Minister and withdrew. 
(FROn OUR OWN COERESPONDE]NT.) 
Sydney, March 27, 1887. 
Government Support. 
It is a matter of great regret that the IMinistry has not seen 
fit to accede to the very reasonable request of the Council of 
the Pharmaceutical Society to grant the usual £1 subsidy for 
every £2 subscribed by members. It is true that the present 
time is, in several respects, an unfavourable one to increase 
the (Governmental expenditure, as was forcibly urged by the 
Minister of Public Instruction when the deputation waited 
upon him ; but at the same time there is a good deal less in 
this objection than appears at hrst sight. In the first jplace, 
in addition to the annual subsidies paid to the Koyal Society 
(about £400), and the Geographical Society, as also 
a sum of £250 granted in aid of the Art Society, there is 
annually voted a sum of .£12,000 to subsidise various educa- 
tional institutions in the ratio of .£1 for every £2 subscribed. 
And, be it remembered that this is altogether independent of 
the large sums annually granted to the University, the Tech- 
nical College, the Sydney Grammar School, etc., so that it 
does not seem at all unreasonable to suppose that had Minis- 
ters really desired to assist the Pharmaceutical Society, they 
could easily have done so out of the £12,000 alluded to 
without putting an extra penny on the estimates. Basing 
the calculation on the Society’s income for the past four 
years, the subsidy would not have exceeded .£1(>0, and, having 
in mind that for ten years past the Society has been carrying 
on, as well as its limited means permitted, an absolutely 
necessary work, it would only have been an act of common 
justice had the subsidy been granted. As will be seen from 
the report of the deputation, the Minister si^oke in appreciative 
terms of the character of the educational work carried on by 
the Society, and spoke very hopefully of a subsidy being 
granted at some future time, so that it behoves the Council to 
keep this in mind, and not to rest satisfied until the amount 
asked for is granted. The future of a Society, such as the 
Pharmaceutical Society, dejoends almost entirely upon those 
who have the conduct of its affairs at the present, and an en- 
lightened and liberal policy as regards the rising members of 
the profession will undoubtedly have as a result the building 
up and consolidation of the Society into a really powerful 
organisation. And not only does the future of the Society 
largely depend upon the present action of its Council, but the 
status of the members of the profession at large in this colony 
will, in the near future, depend upon the energy, Avisdom, and 
foresight of its present lea<ling members. At the present 
time tile Council, if Avell supported by the members, has a 
splendid opportunity of placing matters on a secure and per- 
manent baais, as regards the rights and privileges of (laalified 
chemists and druggists. With an Act of Incorporation, about 
to be brought before Parliament once more, under the auspices 
of a prominent meinb':‘r of the Ministry, and wich an Amended 
Pharmacy Act drafted by the Parliamentary draftsman, and 
approved by the last Government, all that is required is united 
and vigorous action to ensure the passing of both. It is foil}' 
to suppose that matters sucli as these may be safely left to 
themselves, or to the care of one or two. What is required is 
the hearty co-operation of all interested ; and at no time in 
the history of the profession in this colony was this more 
necessary than at the present. With the secret and inimical 
influences at the present time at work, and the public vilifica- 
tion of the Society permitted to he inserted in the daily press, 
it must be evident to all that a very vigorous and decided 
policy must be carried out if qualified men are to be protected 
from Charlatans. What is required before all things at the 
present juncture is a capable leader to initiate and carry out 
such a policy, and the President has now an opportunity of 
serving the Society, which has rarely been equalled. IMix 
Sadler enjoys the confidence of tlie Council, and has the 
ability necessary ; and though, doubtless, a considerable 
amount of time will have to be devoted to the matter, the 
benefit conferred upon the members of the Society generally 
will make the sacrifice of time one worth making. To see an 
Amended I’harmacy Act, and the Act of Incorporation become 
law, and to place the educational question upon a secure and 
permanent basis, so as to draw the rising generation of phar- 
macists within the folds of the Society, it seems to me, would 
not unworthily mark any President’s term of office, and should 
secure to such a President the gratitude of all interested. 
Heciprocity. 
As will he seen from a reference to report of the last meet- 
ing of the Pharmaceutical Council, the Queensland Board of 
J.Tiarmacy has agreed to reciprocate Avith this colony to the 
fullest extent ; and probably before this appears the resolution 
affirming full recii}i'ocity between the South Australian Phar- 
maceutical Society and the Society in this colony will have 
been passed by the Council of the former. With Tasmania 
and New Zealand also reciprocating, the Victorian Society 
may safely be left to its own devices, and to pursue its exclu- 
sive policy alone. Under the circumstances it is not surpris- 
ing to find the official organ of the Victorian Society in- 
dulging in a lament over what it would have us believe to be 
the backsliding of the dilfereiit colonies. The cordial rela- 
tions now subsisting between the different governing bodies in 
(Queensland, South Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and 
NeAv South Wales, are sufficient answer to, and afford a com- 
plete explanation of the hitter attack your contemporary in- 
dulges in. Tlie manner in which the article I refer to Avinds 
up by producing the ill-spelt letter of some member or other' 
of the NeAv South Wales Pharmaceutical Society as a trium- 
phant vindication of the policy of the Victorian Society is 
really feeble, and the more especially since it is confessed in 
the article that the member referred to Avas admitted in 1870. 
No one knoAVs better than the Avriter of the article that the 
rharmaceutical Society of this colony liko the Pharmacy 
Board of Victoria were bound to recognise all persons in busi- 
ness in the year 1876 and prior to that date; and if it AA'ere 
Avorth the trouble, AAdiich it is not, I have no doubt' Mr. 
Pinhey could produce equally illiterate productions of, mem- 
bers of the Victorian Society. I am, moreover, informed that 
the Avriter of the letter <xRoted by your contemporary is a 
foreigner, but for this I cannot vouch. In any case there can 
hardly be tAvo opinions that the attack made on the Society 
in this colony is entirely on a side issue, and does not really 
touch the true question. The agreement betAveen the Phar- 
macy Board of NeAv South Wales and the Pharmacy Board of 
Victoria is that each Board will recognise the certificates 
granted by the other to chemists AAffio had been in business in 
the colony prior to January 1, 1877, and does not imply a 
guarantee on either side that such persons are educated or 
even qualified. 
Ph.uvm.icy Bo.ard. 
At the time of Avrlting no communication has been received 
from the Colonial Treasurer in resx^ionse to the request made 
by the Board of Pharmacy for an intervieAv. This is the more 
surprising since Mr. Burns is knoAvn to be very favorably 
disposed toAvards the Pharmaceutical Society, and as a matter 
of fact had charge of the Society’s Act of Incorporation in the 
late Parliament, and Avas chairman of the Select Committee 
appointed to take evidence in the matter. It has, hoA\'e\’er, 
been unofficially explained that the task of adjusting the 
financial affairs of the colony has oceuihed the AA'hole of the 
Minister’s time, and that it is almost impossible for him to- 
devote any attention to outside matters until the Estimates 
have been x^assed by the House. It is to he hoped, hoA\'e\^er, 
that the Board of Pharmacy Avill take another early oppor- 
tunity of seeking an interview, and representing the very 
strong case they haA'^e, for there can be no doubt but that if 
they x^ei'seA'ere they Avill couA'ince the Government of the jus- 
tice of their claims. 
