A POISON BILL FOB IRELAND. 
746 
and impartial consideration, given to it under a sense of the responsibilities of 
office, as it may be hoped will issue in its final settlement in a manner satisfactory 
to all parties. There is, perhaps, a better chance of arriving at such a result 
through the instrumentality of the Council as now constituted than there was 
before, for the opposition to the proposed measure has originated almost entirely 
in the'country, and among some of those country members whose influence has 
been rather strongly exerted in influencing the election of the new Council. 
And now that two-thirds of the members of Council have been drawn from 
the provinces, whatever conclusion they arrive at will at least be free from the 
objection previously urged, that London members were trying to impose regula¬ 
tions upon their country brethren which were unsuited to the circumstances of 
country trade. As already stated, the country was largely represented at the 
anniversary meeting, and the influence of provincial members proved successful 
in preventing the immediate recognition of a code of compulsory regulations for 
the storing of poisons. The members have thus exercised their power, and at 
the same time have committed the duties of office to men selected, no doubt, 
with some view to the settlement of this question. More able representatives 
certainly could not have been chosen, nor could the representative principle 
have been better or more fairly carried into effect, so as to give to all parts of 
the country a due amount of representation. The only question likely to arise 
is, whether the business of the Society, involving a great amount of committee 
work, can be efficiently conducted with so small a proportion of London mem¬ 
bers of Council. This is a question which a little experience will serve to elu¬ 
cidate, and, as bearing upon it, it may be found expedient to adopt some plan 
by which the members throughout the country may be enabled, in the selection 
of candidates, to maintain a due balance in the representation. The effect of 
local recommendation and influence has been very marked in the late election ; 
and although in that case it has resulted in an unexceptionable choice, yet ob¬ 
viously it might not always be so. 
If nothing less satisfactory than the discussions and decisions on subjects for¬ 
mally and legitimately brought before the meeting had occurred, the proceed¬ 
ings would not have left the painful impression, the sense of mortification and 
shame, which unfortunately too many who attended this anniversary meeting 
and its adjournments have carried away, and from which every right-minded 
man must desire to exonerate himself and those with whom he is associated. 
A POISON BILL POE IEELAND. 
A Bill was introduced to Parliament by the Solicitor-General for Ireland, and 
read the first time on the 9th of May, the object of which was understood to be 
to establish a new system of pharmaceutical examination in Ireland, and to con¬ 
fine the sale of poisons to examined men, as well as to impose certain regulations 
on those who sell and dispense poisons. The second reading of that Bill was 
adjourned several times, and it was never publishedat last, on the 24th of May, 
the order for the second reading was discharged and the Bill withdrawn, a new 
Bill being at the same time introduced of a much more simple nature. This 
new Bill is as follows :— 
A Bill to Regulate the Sale of Poisons in Ireland. 
Whereas it is expedient for the safety of the public that due provision should 
be made to regulate the sale of poisons in Ireland : 
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice 
