FEVER SWEEPS IRISH ISLAND.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 April 1925, Page 5

FEVER SWEEPS IRISH ISLAND.

SCORES OF FAMINE VICTIMS.

DEAL) FROM INFLUENZA

DUBLIN, Feb, 9. A wasting influenza lever has claimed score.-* of victims on A chill Island, off the coast of County Mayo, where :UOO blander s are suilenng from partial (.starvation, and are ekeing out a sort of. existence on dry bread and water.

Ruination of the potato qrop due to the excessive rains ot fall and winter has been a particularly .severe blow to t'he inhabitants of the west coast islandls such Yus that of Achifl.

Doctors and nurses are being sent to fight the fever. An authoritative statement has been made by a high official of the Free State local government department concerning the distress in the west of Ireland. Undoubtedly, lie says, there is much privation west of the Shannon, and the people are existing in conditions which are below the normal standard even for the west, but a representative of the local government ministry declared with emphasis that there was nothing to justify the use of the word “famine.”

Two grants of £25,'000 all ready have been, made by the Government, extensive works 'have been started throughout the affected areas, and large sums haw been allocated' already to various congested areas an Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Leitrim, Sligo, Clare, Kerry, Cork iand Roscommon, and. over £48,000 in addition has been distributed over the. same areas for the purchase of fuel., potatoes, meats, and timber About GOOD tons of coal have been distributed at a low charge, and local-- are Tteing provided for school children. Summing up all the available evidence one can assert- that while there is undoubtedly grievous want in the west, there is no famine, and the Free B't.a.te Government may be trusted to leave nothing undone to- prevent, exceptional hardship.