MEETING OF CITIZENS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17948, 15 November 1918, Page 4

MEETING OF CITIZENS.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. eiftel ery 'f 86 * 7 atten( *ed meeting ot citizens and representatives of local bodies was held yesterday afternoon on' the grounds outside the City Council ft H V % uV** Christchurch (Mr H Holland) presided. The cath(H T J? r ?• Chesson, Health Officer for the district, Bishop Brodie, K Rev °* Erwin and several other clergymen representing various denominations, the .Mayors of Riccarton (Mr J. Brown), Woolston (Mr M'Gregor Wright) and Spreydon (Mr W. H. VVmsor) besides a very large assemblage ot ladies, including Mrs A- Boyle, president of the women F s branch of the Red Cross) Mr 9 H. Holland (president or _tne Lady Liverpool Society)' and leadinjr officers of various other organisations. ; The Mayor explained that the meeting was called for the purpose of forming organising committees to work in' the city and suburban districts in connection with the influenza campaign. He did not wish to appear as an alarmist but from information available he had to say frankly that the position in Uhristchurch.was serious. The-great-est energy and vigilance were necessary in the crisis-

Dr Chesson outlined the work which he had done to combat the disease, and said that the disease had become. so , rampant as to need the united efforts or the community i n fighting it- If all individuals would follow the instruct, tions that had appeared in the newspapers, the way would be made muck easier. He wished also to sav that the Plunket Society would be pleased 1 - to receive at its quarters, No. 232, Armagh Street, the babies of sick ' patients. The members of the societv would look after the little ones until their mothers had recovered. .*. -'--- Mr M. J. Gressoil suggested, as ai way to shorten the proceedings and get down to bedrock in the "matter, that proposals arranged to put to a meeting of Fendalton residents that evening should form a basis of general procedure. These included the division of the district into blocks and the appointing of one or two patrols for each' section who would make a house to house call of investigation and report to the Health Officer. It would be the-. duty of patrols to see that each inhabitant in" then distriot received at leasu two treatments a week at an inhalation chamber.. It was also- intended to form women's committees for the purpose of making arrangements to gire domestic assistance in homes where the inmates were stricken and were unable to help themselves- He thought the* city and suburban block system ar- * ranged by the Red Cross Society in its campaign would serve local committees. The society might be able to carry out that work.

Mr J. A. Flesher (chairman of the Red Cross) stated that the society had not enough sub-committees for the purpose. He thought the matter might bo more easily arranged by the aid of? the school committees. Air G. Harper, on behalf of the C.D.C., said the corps would have an officer on hand at the rooms in Hereford Street during each day and even-; ing. Anyone requiring assistance could ring up the office telephone number, 1122, and the needs of a case would bei immediately conveyed to the central depot and questions answered". There would, no doubt, be a big run on the* telephone to the depot, and the O.D.C. thought it could render effective help in the way he had stated.

Councillor H. F. Herbert, inquired; whether it would not be judicious for* the Health Officer to close all factories and various businesses for a few days.. Already staffs were largely depleted; and in' instances proprietors and nian-»! agers were laid up. It would be neces-; sary to keep food shops and those with; perishable goods open, v Places closed' could be thoroughly fumigated, and re-' leased employees could assist in fighting the epidemic as required. He be-*' lieved employers would find their business less affected by ? a temporary clos* ing down than in endeavouring to carry, on as at present. '.':"■ 'Dr Chesson said he considered thej' suggestion somewhat drastic. Theraj was no need to adopt panic measures' and no need at present, so far as hei could see, to close business premises, i If the public would only do.their part, thoroughly and shop quickly and with-.! out undue delay no harm would result*] Mr Flesher proposed that a committee should be set up consisting of/theJ City Council, Mayors of various councils, chairmen of public bodies and eer-i • tain other representatives, a-s werel deemed necessary. So far as factories and businesses were concerned theraj was no reason why they should not ba closed earlier and the places kept weilj fumigated. I Mr W. S. Wharton, secretary of thai Hospital Board, made an appeal to mo-j tor-ear owners to place their ears atj the disposal of the authorities to take! nurses about the city and suburbs and for the purpose of rendering assistance* as required. i Mrs J. A. Russell, superintendent ofj the Selwyn Division of the St John Am-; bulance 'Association, stated that over( 200 nursing sisters were at work in eon-.! nection with tho .epidemic, and the as-4 >\ sistance that could be rendered /by thef association had almost reached its limit,! The Rev J./.X North said thef churches would give all assistance. Bishop Brodie stated that as the Catholic schools were closed, he coulq offer the assistance of thirty of th« • st«t««. The Marist Brothers also assist in <u»buj&»ce work, gf u*|&

ed that a central committee should be ' established, as organisation was urgently required. Mrs Holland offered the assistance of all Lady Liverpool Fund workers. The Rev F. N. Taylor spoke of the burial of the dead, stating that undertakers were unable to keep up with demands. The position was very serious. He had advice that none were more susceptible to disease than those who stood round a graveside in grief. He did not wish to advocate hasty burying, hut uttered a warning against the danger incurred by persons prolonging graveside gatherings. He thought it would be necessary to municipalise burials during tho crisis. Miss Cardale said tho great thing was to assist the people who were sick. She' urged that people should help themselves by informing the authorities as to their state. The ladies of Christchurch could assist by serving beef tea, mutton broth and food.' She could assure the meeting that there was no food in some of the houses visited by her. In one place, where the mother had died from the disease, the father was seriously ill, and the little children had no one to look after them. 'After further discussion, a motion was carried on the lines suggested hv Mr Flesher that the City Council should constitute itself a central com- ■ mitten, with power to add, to t meet and make arrangements to deal'with the disease as was deemed best. Hr Cliesson. announced that Messrs ft. h. Beatb and Co. hud offered to supply beef tea and mutton broth to the central depots A charge would he made to those who could afford to pay, the money to be devoted to providing necessaries for those who most needed them. Mrs Wood stated that the Women’s National Reserve would also supply broth to the central depot. The meeting closed with nn appeal by the Mayor for motor-cars for quick service about the city and suburbs. MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The oommittee elected at the meeting in the afternoon met in the City, Council Chambers in the evening, tho Mayor (Mr H- Holland) presiding. It was decided to ask Dr Cliesson to close all places of business at 5.30 p.m. to-day. The following wore elected an executive to manage the central depot in Cathedral Square:—Nurse Maude, Dr M. Cliesson, Messrs H. Holland, A. 31. Loasby, W- 3. Wharton and. H. J. Oiley. • On the motion of Councillor D. G. Sullivan, it was decided to make nn appeal through the newspapers for women to help to attend the stricken ones in need of assistance. Mr J. A. Flesher read a letter from 3lr Gordon Hutchinson, of 528, Lincoln Road, who had had experience in combating a serious influenza epidemic in Johannesburg at the close of tho South African war- He gave a brief outline of the block system used in Johannesburg at that time- Mr Flesher said that public meetings should be arranged fight throughout the city to organise the campaign. The only way the campaign against the disease could be properly carried out would bo by •"local effort. There was also a chance for the Women’s National Reserve and. similar organisations to do a great work, and Boy Scouts could he used to rim messages. Informa'tior. should also be obtained as to the nearest available telephone in eacli street so that urgent messages could be sent' to the central depot with all possible dispatch. He suggested that public meetings should be held on the following day. At these meeting voluntary helpers could be enlisted. He was certain there were plenty of people willing and able to •help .at this time of crisis. Mr W. H. Winsor (Mayor of Spreydon) gave an. outline of the scheme to combat the epidemic in Spreydon. The scheme was to divide the borough into districts with a committee to control each district. Spreydon would, if necessary, be willing to look after tho houses on both sides of the streets hounding the borough and the city. Mr A- M. Loasby said be thought a very strong appeal should be mndo for bottles, the price of which came to .'•.about \6d apiece. Any sort of bottlo would do so long as it was clean. Labels would be supplied to paste on the bottles giving directions. Councillor H- F- Herbert said that drastic means should he taken. In many places of business "half the 1 staff were down with influenza, so that a great strain was thrown on those that remained. The result was that they were more liable to go down to the disease. Further, people who lived in houses in whioh there were three or four suffering from the complaint came into the shops and stayed perhaps half an hour. The assistants had to put up with this. Again, people slightly ill often visited the shops. At this point it was decided that Dr Chessoh should be asked to close, places of business at 5.30 p.m. every day. 3lr Flesher then moved that meetings should he called for the following night At various places in the city (as advertised), and voluntary helpers, enlisted for visiting homes, nursing, rendering domestic help, in relieving the wants nf people suffering from the present epidemic or in any way rendering as- ■ sistant to combat the disease. The motion was carriedMr H. B-. Smith said that the promiscuous use of telephones was liable to spread the epidemic. Telephone receivers should be disinfected, and the Telegraph, Department should, be asked to supply sponges soaked in disinfectant in* each bureau or slot machine, with instructions to wipe the receiver after use.