The Fijian Outbreak of Cholera and Smallpox, "SOMEONE HAD BLUNDERED."

Evening Post, Volume XXVI, Issue 15, 18 July 1883, Page 2

The Fijian Outbreak of Cholera and Smallpox, "SOMEONE HAD BLUNDERED."

|Bt Telegraph.] ltjnited fbksb association.) Auckland, This Dat. The steamer Penguin came into port last evening at half-poet 9 o'clock, from Fiii. Her master brought the vessel alongside the wharf, to enable passengers to get ashore without delay. Within half an hour of the time of mooring to the wharf, there was hardly a passenger on the decks. Whilst the Penguin was coming into port, the following telogram, dated from Wellington at 25 minutes to 9 p.m. on the 17th, was being flashed along the wire to the Health Officer, Dr. Philson :— " Fiji declared infected place. —(Signed) G. S. Cooper." .The telegram reached the hands of Dr. Philson about ten o'clock. In the meantime the Penguin had reached the wharf. Dr. Philson hurried to the wharf, and found tha vessel alongside. Capt. Cromarty assured Dr. Philson he was ignorant of the fact that Fiji had been declared an infected place by the New Zealand Government, but as all the passengers were by this time gone away, he could not see how the matter was to be remedied. Dr. Philson ordered the mails to bo fumigated before being 6ent ashore, and then agreed to «rive Captain Cromarty a clean bill of health. Captain ( romarty assured Dr. Philson that there was no sickness at Levuka, his last port of departure, on the 13th, but that cholera, "small-pox, and measles were prevalent at Suva, which port he left on the 4th. The Herald blames tho Government for the delay in issuing the notice after it was known a week ago that other colonies had declared Fiji infected. The following from the Suva Times of the 23rd June explains the action of the authorities at Sydney and Melbourne, in declaring Fijian ports infected places : — " The ship Poonoh arrived on Monday last from Calcutta with 405 Eoula on board, exclusive of

captain, officers, and orow. Thero hail boon twonty-sii doaths from tho timo of doparturo until arrival, tho majority from cholora. Five casos of small pox woro reported but no doaths had occurred from that disoaso. Tho cnginoer diod from cholora. Tho vessol is quarantined, and tho present proposal of tho Government is that she shall proceed to Nukalau, and thero disohargo passengers and stores, leaving tho colony without having obtained pratique. Thuro will bo a difficulty in placing the men under proper authority and in exercising duo vigilanoe over tho cargo, whioh will also havo to bo landod. A fresh outbreak having bcon roportod sinco tho arrival of the vossol, tho Government issuod posters printed in tho Fijian lauguago, notifying tho natives that infected ooolio immigrants have been plaood in quarantine on tho Island of Nukalau, and warning them not to approach it, or fish on the roof ncarit, under tho usual ponaltios."