PLEASANT DAYS IN QUARANTINE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 121, 15 February 1935, Page 10

PLEASANT DAYS IN QUARANTINE

Aorangi Passengers’ Fate BEAUTIFUL BUSH AND FINE BEACHES Dominion Special Service. Dunedin, February 14. Writing to a friend in Dunedin, a resident of this city, who was a passenger by the Aorangi on her recent trip to Australia, when quarantine restrictions were imposed as soon as the vessel reached Sydney, gives some interesting details of Uie experience. The letter was written while some of the passengers were still in quarantine. The writer states that when the Aorangi was nearing Sydney she appeared to be travelling faster than her usual speed, but tlie passengers suspected nothing. The doctor came aboard for medical inspection, the writer says, “and after a long delay a whisper went round that he would not pass tlie vessel, as one of the crew had been ill. Then the' word ‘quarantine’ was mentioned, and you can imagine how our spirits went down. Another doctor came on board in tlie morning, and to our disappointment the yellow flag was run up and the Aorangi started up the harbour toward Manly.” At Quarantine Station. Then another life began. The lifeboats were filled with all kinds of food, an'd one after the other set out for the quarantine station. The passengers were ordered to pack just as much clothing as they could carry and would need for the night, and to lie ready to go ashore in the boats. On landing our fun commenced. There were about 650 of us, and we were sent to a shed where we had to leave all our clothes, pub on a gown and go to the fumigation bathhouse. “The bath consisted of showers of the most refreshing smelling liquid, and after we had been well ‘fumigated’ our clothes, which had also undergone the same process,, were returned to us. We had next to go to quarantine buildings, which are capable of accommodating 1250 people. Up-to-date Hotel. Tlie bedrooms all Jiave single beds, and the french windows open out on to wide verandas. The whole is like an up-to-date hotel, with a post office, dining and smoke-rooms, doctors’ quarters, laundry, and inquiry office. The grounds cover about 150 acres, most of it being beautiful bush, well-laid-out gardens, endless walks, and excellent bathing beaches. “We all had to be vaccinated the first day, and every morning we have to line up for inspection. A number of passengers who had been vaccinated within recent years were fortunate enough to be allowed to leave. They went after the fifth day, and it was.. with very sad countenances that we watched them depart.”