NEW ZEALAND PRECAUTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 61, 13 March 1900, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND PRECAUTIONS.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.;

WELLINGTON, this day

The Government is awaiting from the authorities of Victoria information a? to what precautions have been adopted to prevent the plague spreading from Sydney into that colony. So far as is known at present no measures have been taken to prevent the danger of persons infected with the Bubonic plague making their way into New Zealand from Sydney overland to Melbourne, and thence to New Zealand, or even via Tasmania. Should the precautions adopted by Victoria, Quensland, and Tasmania be deemed by the New Zealand Government as inadequate, steps will at once be taken to proclaim every part of Australia as infected, and to prevent any vessels from those shores enteringNew Zealand harbours with the most stringent precautions, and if necessary rigorous quarantine. The Government are determined to enforce the most rigid precautions, fully recognising that the quarantine must be effectual, or it will be worse, than useless. So far, however, no cases of Bubonic plague have been reported from Victoria or Tasmania. The danger to this colony is that sporadic cases may escape the vigilance of the health authorities in the neighbouring colonies and be developed here, indeed no one can be absolutely certain that no such cases exist in New Zealand already. It is reassuring, however, to find that the Unlion Steamship Co., despite the ruinous expense and loss of earnings which must follow in the train of the suit i)rom any qua-ranitiue, liowver moderate, are loyally supporting- the Government in enforcing any measures.

Up to the present the Union Steamship Co. has decided to run only a reduced number of steamers, probably three in all, between New South Wales and New Zealand, but if the official report from Victoria as to the condition of affairs there be unsatisfactory the Company may still further reduce its steamers, or even lay them all up. The New Zealand Shipping Co. and others are also lending aid to the Government in the very laudable effort to shut out the horrible plague from these shores.

One important point which cropped up to-day related to the necessity of carefully fumigating cargo, as well as passengers and mails. Mr Seddon thinks the former goes without saying, but I believe until the attention of the shipowners was drawn to the matter they had not as a body taken any steps in the matter.