THE MOSQUITO PLAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 53, 2 March 1916, Page 6

THE MOSQUITO PLAGUE.

BIG RUN ON BAKES. WORST VISITATION. FOR YEARS. Never'in Auckland's history has it been so bothered or so plagued. City and suburbs aTe in the throes of a visitation by myriads of mosquitoes. Night is made hideous by the eternal buzzing. People in London axe probably less concerned about listening for the purring of Zeppelins than are the people of Auckland about the night-long buzz, buzz, buzz of the mosquito. In the early morning tramcars the depredations of the mosquito is debated with almost as much bitter feeling as is the latest news of the Huns. The plague is not restricted to any particular locality. Hotels and boardinghouses in the heart of Auckland are just as badly infested as houses in the remotest suburbs. And the mosquitoes themselves are of unusual size and viciousness. Nets and face oils seem to afford small protection. Tho citizen who gets a complete night's sleep these nights is indeed a' fortunate individual. "It is absolutely phenomenal," declared a leading chemist, when seen' by a "Star" representative this morning. "Never during a long experience in Auckland have I known such a visitation. The demand for mosquito banes eclipses all Tecords. In the last two days we have sold half a gallon of one particular preparation, which is made up in very small bottles, and there is an equally big run on other lines. Many of the people bitten 6eem to have had a really bad time. One person who came in this morning had an arm swollen from the wrist to the elbow. The bites seem to be quite poisonous. All are agreed that the plague is of an unprecedented nature. It is worth noting that while people come in from all parts of the city, indicating that the trouble is widespread, all are of opinion that undrainod areas arc too common in their particular neighbourhood. For instance, people living in the vicinity of Symonds Street and Grafton Road compLaln that the mosquitoes come in swarms from tho Cemetery Gully. Certainly residents in this locality seem to be having a particularly bad time, and the bites of the insects always leave exceedingly angry marks. Mount Eden Road is another breeding gTound, recent road formations having left large stagnant pools, which are converted into breeding grounds. Nothing can be done, of course, beyond closing bedroom windows while there are lights in the room, and usirtt. nets and such banes as are known to be effective."