SMALLPOX.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14854, 20 December 1913, Page 4

SMALLPOX.

HON. R. HEATON RHODES REPLIES TO VICTORIA-T STATEMENT. The, Hon. R. H. Rhodes, Minister of • Public Health, was referred yesterday to tha Melbourne cahlegram to ■, : the effect that Dr. Compton, I Federal Health Officer,-, -had frequently applied for information '■■ re-rardin- the condition of the smallpox : .pFdemicln New Zealand, and that when ! the information arrived he would de- : cide what action to take in connexion I with tho maintenance of quarantine 7 restrictions against Now Zealand visitors. Mr Rhodes said he could not understand the delay on tho part of the Federal Health authorities in entirely removing the restrictions. On November 25th Dr. Compton informed the New Zealand Health Department of the amended restrictions, and on tho 27th i tho Department cabled him that, a_ ' there were then only five cases in the i Dominion, which would bo discharged at the end of that week, the restrictions regulating tho vaccination of passengers between Australia and Now Zealand should be removed. On the 28th ultimo Dr. Compton replied that he was willing to consider the removal of the restrictions, hut would firet like to havo a report on tho conditions in New Zealand. A letter was written that day, giving the doctor particulars of the then convalescent oases. On December 9th the Department cabled to Dr. Compton again, suggesting that the restrictions should bo removed, as there was only one case in the Dominion. The patient was in the Hamilton Hospital, and would -!■© discharged at the end of the week. The message also said that no cases had been reported i since November 4th. On December 10th '■■ Dr. Compton cabled to the Department, : asking for an account of the cessation of th© epidemic in the districts affected, I the distribution of tho cases, and the | measures taken to ascertain the ab- ; senco of cases among the Maoris. On the lith inst. the Department wrote to him, giving the full information that had already been supplied him in bulletins, and 6tating, with regard to the j absence of cases among the Maoris, j that the lately infected districts were , being patfoiled regularly; that the rej ports were that the districts were clear, and that the system of patrolling would jbe maintained until well into the New Year. The communication added that, whilst commending Dr. Compton for his zeal in safeguarding the Commonwealth interests, the Dominion's Public Health Department maintained that a con- ; tinuation of the restrictions would only render the responsible authorities ridij culous, especially as restrictions had been so greatly modified in the case of persons leaving Sydney, where, from reports to hand, it would appear that the epidemic had not been entirely isubdued.