PRECAUTIONS AT LYTTELTON.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11589, 21 May 1903, Page 3

PRECAUTIONS AT LYTTELTON.

THE SHIPS CREW AT QUAIL ISLAND. Fifty balee of kapoc -were transhipped at Dunedin from the Gracchus to the Upolu, and Mr D. Munro, the Sanitary Inspector, went on board yesterday as scon as the steamer arrived from the South- He intended to have the kapoc landed and dealt vri!h here, but found that the health authorities at Tiiuaru had insisted on its being landed there. When the Lascars were told, on landing, -.t Qnail Island, that they must strip and take a bath, they very decidedly demurred, but on being shown tho clothes and blankets v.hich had been provided for them their reluctance disappeared, and they c r n«*rfnHy obeyed their iratructions. Drs. VaHntine awl Finch went to Lyttrftonby the 10.15 train yesterday, and gave instructions that the cargo of the Gracchus, both what had been handed and what ie-

mained on the steamer should be conveyed on lighters to Quail Wand, where it will be dealt with a» remains to be decided. Drs. Yalintine and Finch "eft. Lyttelton for the quarantine station at eleven o'clock, and or. tiuir return reported that Mr Bell was .still progressing satisfactorily. Everybody on the island is satisfied. Mr C. Ferrier' so thoroughly fulfilled hi* t-ask of supplying clothe?, blankets, etc.. that, there seems to have been almost nothing omitted. For the handling of the cargo on shore only the men who worked on board the Gracch-.is when she arrived will be employ ed, the crew will work at the -steamer. Th.* operations began at ono o'clock yesterday afternoon. A.s s.ion as the steamer has discharged the whole of her cargo, p'ae will be thoroughly fumicalod and disinfected. The C-i-ieibary yesterday morning took more fftnros from Lyttelton to the island. It. was decided that the bags containing tapioca, camhier, "case stuff" should be disinfected by being spray«d with fcrmaiin. nnd put into clean trucks, and this was clone ; s-> that only sacks, gunnies, and k.ip.ij have been taken to the Quarantine Island. Of course, the trucks on which tho cargo has b??n lying since Saturday havo been thoroughly fumigate.!. Mr C- ""Terrier, on behalf of the agents of ihe f'racebus, went, over to the island yesterday afurnooni and found everyone in csef.'.lent fpirit.s ar.d well satisfied with the manner in which they are being Ircat«"d. The. Lascars ;ip;var?d to be exceedingly proud of their now e'othes, and. as they paced to and fro, repeatedly greeted him with the wcrd ''kapai." The lit, wrm net always perfect, are! it is said that, the proportions of one in in were too large for the garments supplied to him. and he had to substitute a blanket. The chief officer. too, expressed him«flf as. more than pleaded with the ror.siileratirn shown by all concerned. One item oi th,> provisions, however, doer* not please Iho Lascars. They do -net. appieciare- Canterbury butter, and require something more liks their own "ghee." the be.-t substitute for which is rancid butter, consequently the demand for the last-named article is somewhat brisk. It has been suggested that the tedium of quarantine c;in be greatly relieved by persnna sending over to the island books, periodicals, et<\, u .s well as gifts of fruit ar.d sweetmeats.