United Press Association—By Electio Telegraph.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 5059, 9 March 1900, Page 2

United Press Association—By Electio Telegraph.

Welmnqton, March 8 The don. J. G. Ward, colonial secretary, interviewed this morning, said the health officers here and Auckland were uncertain as to the period of incubation of the disease, whether ifc was twelve or fourteen days, or even more before the development. A meeting of the local Board of Health, convened to discuss the plague, and if necessary call in expert assistance, and any recommendation they may make, will, Mr Ward says, xeceive the immediate attention of the Government. Mails.by the Monowai, which arrived from Sydney last night, have been landed on Somes Island. All the New South Wales bags were opened, and thoroughly fumigated, the cirgo will also be fumigated, while the vessel remains in quarantine, all expenee in this connection to be borne by the Union Company. The steamer Victoria, which arrived thiß morning from Newcastle, with a cargo of coal was placed in quarantine. The Indramayo and Indraghiri, due at Auckland tc-duy from Sydney, will fclao be quarantined., The [ various Australian Governments have been informed of the pre autionary measures ! adopted by New Zaaland. The Colonial Secretary has forwarded the following communication to Mr J. Mills, General manager of the Uniot : St earn Ship Company, and to Mr J. Murrell, manager at Wellington for Messrs Huddart, Parker & Co,:— " I am desirous of placing as little difficulty as possible in the way of steamers coming , I out from Australian Colonies, and shall be glad if you will advise your Melbourne office i that if any passengers book from Melbourne direct to Bluff, in c miug overland from Sydney, it may be necossary to order the steamers into quarantine. Upon arrival at the Bluff, a declaration will require to be made that no passengers will be booked who ' have travelled overland from Sydney to Melbourne. I am very aGxious to avoid declaring Victoria an infected country if possible, and your active co-operation in the direction indicated, and aa absence of any outbreak of bubonic plague in Victoria itself, will aid materially in this respect),"-- ---; (Big«ed)~j, G, Waro