"A FARCE"

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 2, 4 January 1937, Page 10

"A FARCE"

QUARANTINE AT APIA MATUA'S PASSENGERS . ANNOYED

(Jsy Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. Three passengers who travelled home to Western Samoa by the Matua arrived back by that vessel today, having been prevented from landing owing to precautions because of infantile paralysis in New Zealand. Two others landed at Suva on the return trip. Before reaching Apia the vessel called at Rarotonga and Nukualofa, and after medical inspection the passengers were permitted to go ashore. At Apia the medical officer did not board the vessel and the quarantine flag was flown. Passengers were not allowed ashore, but lighters and launches carrying about 150 native labourers, overseers, and policemen

came aboard to discharge and load cargo, some of them allegedly conversing and shaking hands with passengers for Samoa. The workers returned to their homes at night and were back at the ship next day. Passengers on the Matua, many of whom were making the round trip, criticised the quarantine restrictions Mr. H. Edwards, of Auckland, said that within an hour of the arrival at Apia the quarantine had developed into a farce. Masks were worn by the passengers for a short time, but were soon discarded. Passengers .wanted,, to know why,

after - the~~vessel had been given a clean bill of health at Rarotonga and Nukualofa quarantine was necessary at Apia. In view, also, of the fact that there was a quarantine station ashore, they wanted to know why passengers for Samoa were not allowed to proceed there, and, further, why masks were limited to the ship's complement and not given to the workers Who came aboard. "VERY FOOLISH BUSINESS." "It was a very foolish business," said Mr. A. I. McFarlane, another Auckland business man. "If the authorities were going to quarantine the ship, why did they not make a job of it. We passengers did our best for the passengers who tried to land at Apia, and incidentally for ourselves, but we could get no satisfaction from anybody. The whole thing seemed to be bungled, and it looks to me as though someone moved too hurriedly and would not climb down to save his face. Apia passengers don't know what the position is, but they intend to find out. Now that they are back they will have to meet considerable expense in returning through Sydney. "Two passengers who landed at Suva will be delayed at least a month," Mr. McFarlane added. "It seems peculiar that while cargo was being worked several residents were allowed aboard the vessel, yet resident passengers were not allowed to land."