N.Z. LEPERS

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 14 July 1925, Page 5

N.Z. LEPERS

SENT TO NEW STATION. ISLAND TN PACIFIC. FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT. (By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, July 13. WTien the Government steamer Hinemoa completes its present trip to the Islands it will return to Wellington for refitting, and early in August ' will transport lepers from Quail Island sta_ tion, Lyttelton harbour, to . the leper station of Makogai, on an island lying 18 miles north-east of Levuka, the old capital of Fiji. Four Maoris, two Chinamen, and Europeans, all males, will go from New Zealand with the present staff, Dr. T. J. Hughes, district medical officer at Auckland., accompanying the party in a supervising capacity. Special housing accommodation is to be constructed at the after end of the Hinemoa, which will be left at the leper station when the patients have been landed. It is stated that with ordinary precautions there is absolutely no risk involved to the personnel of the steamer. The Hinemoa will also transport ten lepers from Samoa-. There are five leper villages at Makogai, containing 351 patients, who have an active open-air existence and are treated for the disease in various ways, the administration of chaulmoogra oil having a marked beneficial effect on nearly all stages of leprosy. Surgical treatment is also important. In view of the opportunity afforded by the Hinemoa’s visit of forwarding comforts to these isolated people, the Undersecretary of the Lands Department (Mr. Cook) makes an appeal for hooks and magazines, to be sent to Wellington by the first week in August.