SCHOOLS TO CLOSE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 50, 28 February 1916, Page 6

SCHOOLS TO CLOSE.

A FORTNIGHTS EXPERIMENT "7 "",;'. COMBATING INFANTILE PARALYSIS. ELEVEN MORE CASES TO-DAY The most important step bo 'far takea in combating tlie outbreak of infantile, paralysis was adopted this morning by the Education Department in deciding 7 to close the public sciiools of the city and suburbs and a number of the larger-' ones of the country ior tlie next fottv-' ■ • night. This decision was arrived at this'mora. \ , ing upon the receipt of the reconunendation of the Public Health Office, which \ was forwarded to the Education Board as a result of the conference on Satur- ' day morning. The decision, a3 notified by advertisement, will take effect tomorrow, and the country schools which. are to close will be notified individually, "After a definite statement by7the ■Health Department 1 at once took action, and we are notifying by adver- : tisement that tbe city and suburban" schools, a number of the larger 7country schools, ' and some .of the smaller ones will fee closed,"' said Mr. G. J. Garland, the 7 chairman of the Board, this morning, to - a " Star ", reporter. "The schools .will be closed to-morrow, and will remain'; closed until the 13th of March—a. fdttIn reply to a question, Mr. Garland said the measure was simply a precaii-v tionary one, and advised parents riot to : be over-anxious about the matter. "One cf the chief things to be done," he remarked, "is to keep the children out.'of harm's way.- I am taking steps to have all the larger schools disinfected and fumigated during the fortnight they.ara : ' closed, and that work will be put in hand-;-. as speedily as possible. The Health De-";----partment has promised to superyjse. the 77 arrangements for this fumigation. '. I have no doubt the Committeeswill be; - only too willing to do their part in acsisting the Board in taking preventive measures as far as they can." * .*"' "The question of closing the whpie of the schools will be given every considera- 7' ','■'■ tion on Wednesday next, when tha '' Board will hold its ordinary meetins. 7 What may be done then I, of coinscannot say, but as the' Health Depart 7 : ment mad^- this a matter that fequire<'7 •■"- immediate attention I felt it my duty to* take the steps I have indicated. "With regard to cleansing - the - ; schools," added Mr. Garland, "it will be absolutely futile for the Board.to havo them fumigated unless the public b'uud7'77 ings in the city and suburbs and the 7' public conveyances, such as the picture:, theatres, tramcars, etc., are sum-' - larly treated, and the 6coner this is known I think it -wiiu77 be better for our youngsters. In, the absence of rain I think the City Fathers should once more have it called to'their minds that a few hundred pounds extra - ou water for watering the streets would ' be exceedingly beneficial. These afe||§ only, precautions, but at the same time they may be of great service." ,• ' •7vEleven fresh cases were notified to 7: the Public Health Department "to-day. - Four of these were from the city and-'-l suburbs, and .'seven from the country.7 ' The total number-of notifications is nov/ifc' brought- to 289, of which 156 have beeirijp from the city area, and "133 from 'thijs7 country.'"- No ; further deaths arV f<£|,-