THE BUBONIC PLAGUE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12158, 23 March 1900, Page 5

THE BUBONIC PLAGUE.

PRECAUTIONS IN AUSTRALIA. United Press Association—By'Electric Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY.. March 22. The Illawarra Company’s wharf is the only other one closed. All the wharves which have been closed are to be properly cleansed. Mr Lyne states that it might be necessary to destroy everything. The whole infected area would be quarantined, and it might be desirable to destroy stores, and the other buildings in the vicinity. The plague must be stayed at -whatever cost. That no extraordinary precautions have been taken is construed to mean that the health officers consider that there is no cause for alarm.

The doctor who sent Grubb to the hospital is convinced that the case was typhoid fever.

At a conference between, the Premier and the representatives of Darling Harbour wharves to consider isolating the infected area, the representatives were rather pleased than otherwise: at the opportunity of moving to clean quarters. Their intercolonial trade will be all the better for the change. One of the points pressed upon Mr Lyne .was the desirability of the Government resuming the whole of the wharves. It was considered that the plague would never be stamped out until the wharves had been pulled down and rebuilt. Air Lyne said that it would involve millions, and it was impossible to come to a definite decision on the matter at present. The Conference agreed to the area lying between Darling Harbour, Sussex Street and Erskine Street .and the Gasworks boundary being declared infected. Besides the wharves of the companies previously named, those of a number of the ferry companies are included. The area l will be increased if necessary. The proclamation declaring. the district infected will take effect within forty-eight hours, after which it will be entirely cut off from the rest of the city, and no traffic or business will he allowed within the limits.

There is a large amount of produce on the quarantined wharves. A portion, including 8000 bags of maize, was allowed to be removed. The remainder, if necessary, will be destroyed. Arrangements have been completed for wharfage for the affected companies opposite the site of Darling Harbour. The Union Company’s new quarters are on the eastern side of Darling Island. The Zealandia, which arrived to-day, anchored in Neutral Bay. The Government is employing a thousand men cleansing the declared area. Owing to the death of fish, the whole of Sydney Harbour is closed to net fishing. Another case of plague, that of a man named Guuson, living in a Sussex Street boarding-house, has been reported. Several residents, learning the nature of the disease, escaped to elude quarantining. Business in the vicinity of the plague infected area is suffering greatly. A deputation of interested persons asked the Premier to take preventive, but not the proposed extreme measures. Mr Lyne, in declining, said that the inconvenience was only temporary.

BRISBANE, March 22

As a precaution against rats, vessels will be kej)t four feet from the wharves,, and all ropes and fenders will be tarred and gangways raised after six o’clock at night.

Meetings of representatives of the companies affected will be held this morning, to arrange for transference to be carried out as soon as possible. The Indian Government stated that it .could not spare two experts, and suggested that the services of Dr Hornabrook, now in South Africa, should be obtained. Dr Hornabrook was previously engaged in plague work in Bombay,

ADELAIDE, March 22. The hospital has not been placed in quarantine. ... ’

MELBOURNE* March 22,

Extraordinary precautions are being enforced in all seaside towns against the introduction of the plague.

[Per Press Association'.] NAPIER, March 22,

The Borough Council and Harbour Board are co-operating in enforcing strict sanitary regulations. Rewards are offered for dead rats, and powerful disinfectants are supplied free. The streets and gutters are swept, and the' drains thoroughly flushed. Every precaution is being taken against the advent of the plague.