MEASLES OUTBREAK.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 167, 18 July 1927, Page 11

MEASLES OUTBREAK.

DEATHS IN THE ISLANDS.

MISSION* WORK HELD IT,

The Mi-sion steamer Southern Cross, returned to Auckland yesterday after a three months' cruise amongst the Islands during which the mission stations were visited. A serious outbreak of measles in the New Hebrides and Solomon groups greatly hampered the movements of the vessel. The New Hebrides tour had been completed before the epidemic gained serious proportions, but all that could be done in the Solomons was to land stores. It was impossible to make the .i.-nal transfers of missionaries from one island to another.

Owing to a number of supported ca-ox of measles on board, tlie .Southern C.toswas in quarantine at the island of Vanikoro for 24 days, and .-lie w ; > 3 aI„o held up, though for a shorter period, at Tulagi. As the epidemic showed no signs of declining it was decided to return to Auckland. Owing to the difficulty of communicating with the shore it was not possible to ascertain the. full extent of the outbreak, but it was learned that there were several deaths in the New Hebrides. None of the ca.-ea in tho Solomons had been reported as fatal by the time the vessel mailed. Three missionaries, the Revs. i'i. Lpr*. gatt, A. C. Doncaster and H. L. Hart, were the only passengers. Mr. Leggatt and Mr. Hart are 011 furlough, and Mr. Doncaster, who has just complete.! four years' work in the Solomons, i, ] r _ way b.ick Home.