EPIDEMIC INQUIRY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 81, 20 March 1919, Page 7

EPIDEMIC INQUIRY.

SEAMEN’S SECRETARY'S EVIDENCE. HEALTH DEPARTMENT CtNSURJED. Welliiigtoh, March 19. EXiiihiiied before the Epidemic C'OiUiifissiou to-day Mr. AV. T. Young, Secretary of the Seamen's Union, stated the first intimation his organisation received as to the epidemic was early in September. The executive of the union, communicated with the Minister of Health, making' some recommendations, including isolation,, fumigation and inoculation. A committee was also appointed to carry out the recommendations. The Minister wrote on the 25th. October, saying that he could not agree to carry out the suggestions’ made by the union. Another letter was sent to the Minister on 20th. November, again iirgilig the holding up <»f ships and expressing the opinion that such it course, including the Niagara, would have re suited in the fact that the disease would not have got such a, very big hold in the country and many valuable Jives would have been saved. Reference was made in the second letter to the activities of the N.S.'vV. authorities in the matter of experimenting witli inoculation as a preventive measure in influenza. The council of the union criticised the minister and bis department for what it considered the dilatory manner in which the epidemic had been coped with. Instances were also given in the letter where seamen had died on board ship at Wellington through lack of attention. The council also expressed the opinion .that there was no doubt that the arrival of the Niagara contributed greatly to the spread of the disease throughout New Zealand. Mr. Young gave details of further recommendations of the union to the owners for improvement in the living quarters of the crews of various vessels. Dr. Makgill, for the Chief Health Officer. wrote that he would make it his duty to see that the living quarters of tin- crews were thoroughly cleaned.

Mr. Young went on to say that during th? epidemic his union committee, io conjunction with th ■ watersiders’ cojnmittee. visited many ships and found the condition of affairs generally to be disgraceful. In view of the condition of the quarters one could not be amazed at the effect of the epidemic on men of the mercantile marine. He felt that if the facts were known it would be found that the number of men of the mercantile marine who had died had been between 400 and 500. The condition of affairs in some ships during the epidemic were rather revolting, as he described them, sanitary accommodation in some cases being adjacent and in others actually in the living quarters of the crews. As to the position to-day he would not say it was getting any worse, al though some of the modern vessels did not show very much improve ment. The Motiowai from Auckland seemed to have been the first ship to bring influenza in a severe form to Wellington. She came here with the master and eleven of the crew down with the disease. The master and four of the men died here. BOARD OF HEALTH.

ITS FI’NCTIONS DEFINED

VIRI LENT FLI EASES REPORTED. Wellington, March If*. The Hoard of Health resumed sitting to-day and discussed the most recent statistics regarding influenza in the Dominion. Figures placed before the Board by the Minister showed that during last week there wore several severe and virulent cases. Other matters dis cussed included the constitution of the Board, its procedure, organisation of the Public Health Department. and venereal disease in Ibe Dominion. It was resolved that the Board should meet monthly, the next meeting to be held towards the end of April. The Board resolved that the Public Health Department, and the Internal Affairs Department should be requested to report on their relations with the local bodies of the Dominion in connection with matters of public health and that opinions should be obtained on the same subject from the Town Clerks of the four chief centres. After the close of the first, meet , ing of the beard the Minister of [Public Health said the meeting had proved most useful and informative, ilt was clear from the tone of the meeting that tile members of the Board regarded their rcapousiltilities most serionslv ami were determined they would exercise the powers given them in the most thorough manner. He assured the members of the Board that, although under the statute their- powers were j advisory only, yet their opinions! would be regarded with the greatest j respect, and where these opinions were in conflict with the views of the Public Health Department, as might; prove at times to be the ease, the question at issue would be sttomitted to Cabinet’s final authority for consideration.