COST OF THE FIGHT

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 139, 9 December 1918, Page 3

COST OF THE FIGHT

THE INFLUENZA CAMPAIGN f GOVERNMENT TO BE ASKED FOR £100,000. Speaking at the gathering in St. Andrew's Schoolroom on Saturday evening to mack the closing of the campaign against the influenza- epidemic in Wellington North, the Minister for Public~Health (Hon. G. W. Russe!l)said that he would not refer to criticisms, but he had no hesitation in admitting that the Public Health Department was not perfect; but it should be borne in min<l that New Zealand had never before experienced such a blast of death that has swept over it and the world, and consequently the Department wan unprepared. In the case of another such visitation the experience gained and the observations made would be of immense value. The Health Officer, Dr. Frengley, had set out for Auckland at a brief hour's notice to organise the forces inthe Northern city, and shortly afterwards he himself followed. He had insisted that expense was not to be considered in combatting the epidemic. On return to Wellington he found that the disease had broken out, but the manner in which the public had rallied round the Mayor had resulted in splendid! work in all parts of the city. He wag not free to quote figures in hie possession, but in the matter of deathrate Wellington had a record which was an eloquent tribute to the fighting forces. His officers had informed him that the disease came, as a rule, iv waves, the first a large one, and succeeding waves becoming smaller and smaller. Be, however, felt sure that New Zealand had finished with the disease in its first and greatest wave. The men had done noble work, but even nobler work, if that could be, had been done by the womfta. . The excellent work done by the Boy Scoute, too, was fully appreciated by the Government. The campaign ha€ cost a great deal of money, but the Government would probably vote £100,000 towards the funds, and if any further amount. was required he would ask the Government to authorise recourse to the Unauthorised Expenditure Account. Provision would be made for the little ones who had lost both father and mother. He hoped that many of them would be adopted, and the Government would probably pay part of the cost of their maintenance. The children would be placed in good surroundings, where they would be given every chance and woulfl not be handicapped, by the loes or by the knowledge of the loss of their parents.