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Greater force, for during the nearly thirty years that the
Crown Agents have dealt with the Society of Apothecaries
since the above letter was received, the quality of the
drugs supplied has been universally admitted to be above
reproach. It has moreover not been shown by a definite
detailed comparison of indents priced by the Society of
Apothecaries and by other firms that any material saving
would have been adopted by abandoning the established prac-
tice. Such comparisons as that given in the Government
Analysts letter of 30th October 1894 (attached to Governor's
despatch No 240 of 2nd November 1894) are of little value,
as there is nothing to show how the suns were arrived at,
the dates of price lists quoted from, and so on.
No doubt if, as suggested, we invited competitive
tenders, we should get a reduction of prices and at first
probably good articles. Firms would supply at a loss in
order to establish a footing. But in the long run the
quality would be certain to deteriorate.
As regards paragraph 4 of the Government Analyst's
letter, it may be said that no firm or repute would supply
if they had to wait payment till their goods had been examin-
ed by the Analyst in Hong Kong and were to be liable to
rejection at his hands. Such an analysis as would be
necessary with drugs supplied under competition is a mattor
of time, and great delays must take place before payment
could be made. It is difficult to say what could be dono
when drugs were found inferior and condemned; a hasty re-
course to the local market at enhanced prices, and a recom-
mendation that the contract should be cancelled and some-
one else tried would be the immediate results. In fact
the more the proposition is examined the more its objections
3.
develope