INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 14 February 1919, Page 5

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

AUSTRALIAN REPORTS.

BY CABLE—PKUSS ASSOCIATION-:OOFSTBIGHT MELBOURNE, Feb- 13. lhere were nine deaths, yesterday All licensed premises closed to-day The superintendent of the. Melbourne Hospital states that the epidemic shows ft? 6W nS f abatement. He considers the Board of Health figures of the death rate are inaccurate. During the past fire days there have been 150 deaths which is six times the rate they estimate.—Press Assn. There were 170 new eases of influenza and.34 deaUhs.

A meeting of. the Board of Health expressed indignation at.the manner in which they, were treated by the Government, alleging that the body had not been consulted in any way in reference to measures to prevent tfcs spread of the disease". One member said that experts were of opinion that the disease was not Spanish influenza. Although the death, rate is only 26 per cent, above the average,, Melbourne i 3 panicstricken. - * '

The Federal authorities have aoreed to seind letttrning troops direct to%heir home ports-Aiae.-N.Z. Gable A«sn SYDNEY Feb

6 13 Cabinet has decided to 'modify the regulations respecting the wearing: of masks, permitting their discarding in open spaces where no crowds congregate, also allowing open-air church services and meetings. The other restrictions are unchanged. —Press Assn. liiere are 14 new influenza cases, including one at Penrith and on« at Culcairn. • ■

The Commonwealth authorities have deciaed to prosecute, th© health officers at Sydney and Brisbane for boarding vessels flying the quarantine flag, without, obtaanang permission from the Com-monwealth.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable AssociaBRISBANE, Feb. 13. J.ne Commonwealth authorities landed tooops from tti« Nestor at Lytton.-Ans.-N.Z. Cable Association.