INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 245, 14 October 1918, Page 4

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

ON SJS. NIAGARA PATIENTS REMOVED TO HOSPITAL. Referring to the outbreak of influenza on board the Niagara, Sir Joseph Ward stated on Saturday that the epidemic commenced just after leaving Vancouver, and reached its most virulent stage immediately after leaving Honolulu. A number of the stewards had gone down before, they reached Honolulu, but on getting away from that port within a few days 69 of the saloon stewards were down. It soon became evident that the epidemic was right through the ship, Dot only among the stewards, but also among the sailors, firemen, and the deck hands, while some of the passengers also went down. He. paid a tribute to the manner in which the women passengers on the boat came to the assistance of those on board, and undertook the work of general assistants in the stewards' department, washing np and doing the general work in aD its branches. There was a good spirit prevailing among the passengers right through and a feeling of great sympathy for the stewards and other members of the crew who had gone down. As showing the practical nature of tbe sympathy, the passengers contributed the sum of about £250 for these men at a gathering in the lounge which took place after dinner last evening. The whole of the passengers underwent fumigation before the vessel was cleared. At the gathering last evening, over which the Prime Minister presided, a tribute was paid to Captain Rose and his officers for their efforts on behalf of the passengers during the trip.