A SERIOUS SITUATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXI, Issue 8452, 21 August 1911, Page 5

A SERIOUS SITUATION.

LIVERPOOL'S DEATH-RATE

DOUBLED

Liverpool is quieter. A few isolated attacks have been made on banks and, hotels, but there has been no serious outbreak in the last twenty-four hours. Panic-stricken holiday-makers are rushing homewards, thereby increasing the congestion on tho restricted train services. All traffic has been, stopped in the Liverpool streets. Members of the Cotton Exchange have offered to do porters' work. A Red Cross transport has been organised, which is amply supplying hospital requirements. Four thousand special constables havo been enrolled.

It is feared that half a million's Tvorth.of provisions in cold storage will become tainted owing to the insufficiency of the supply of coal for the refrigerators.

The death-rate in the city has aknost doubled in a few days.

Tlie Home Office has asked Mr.T. P." O' Connor and Mr Kyffin Taylor, M.P.'s, to report as to what measures are necessary to restore better relations between the various classes in Liverpool, also as to the state of-the food supplies. ' '

Speaking in the House of Commons Mr ChurchiU, Home Secretary, defended the maintenance, of food supplies, because the poorest classes and the workers generally were the greatest sufferers.