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Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18100, 17 May 1919, Page 8

We print this morning a telegram and a letter to the editor on the question of quarantine accommodation, and we feel bound to give a general endorsement to the complaints. Whoever is responsible for the deplorable delay in putting matters right has a great deal to answer for. It is now seven months or more sinco the Health Department ought to have discovered that it was unprepared for emergencies. The publio had been under the impression for years that because there were quarantine islands the authorities were in a position to provide for persons Arriving from oversea who ought

to be quarantined. What happened in the case of the Makura at Auckland last December should have emphasised the falsity of that impression. It did, indeed, prove its falsity, for several hundreds of people were kept on the steamer for a week, confined in an infected ship at the end of a voyage in sight of the quarantine island where they should have been obtaining exercise and change and comparative freedom from infection. The delay was due primarily to the fact that the German internees were in possession of the quarantine barracks, and it took the authorities six days to remove those people to fresh quarters so that the steamship’s passengers might occupy the barracks.

That was had enough. It was a shocking exhibition of short-sighted-ness that the Government,. when it decided to use quarantine islands for other purposes, did not at the same time provide for possibilities in the way of quarantine accommodation. The same thing occurred at Somes Island. But quite apart from the question of internees, the influenza visitation was striking enough to teach the Health Department and the municipal bodies and the public a number of lessons; and one of tho most obvious of those was the urgent need of improved accommodation at the quarantine stations. There is positively not sufficient excuse for tho position as it exists to-day; no valid reasons why buildings that were proved seven months ago to be necessary should not have been erected before now. We are surprised at this shocking delay—the more surprised since the Minister at the head of the Department of Health is really one of the most active and industrious members of the Government* We can imagine that Mr Russell’s personal feelings must be the reverse of pleasant when ho has praotically to confess that New Zealanders have to remain month after month exiled in Australia because the Dominion cannot cope with the arrival of a single shipload of people requiring to be taken into quarantine.

The agreement to adopt a forty-five hours week for employees of woollen factories should give much satisfaction to the Hon T. M. Wilford. Many pages of “ Hansard ” have been filled on the question of a forty-five hour week for factory employees, but when the principle was at last established the workers in woollen-' mills were specifically exempted, their hours remaining at forty-eight. On more than one occasion Mr Wilford, as a private member, introduced amendments to the Factory Act in order to bring employees of woollen mills into line with the workers in other factories. On the last occasion Mr Massey moved to refer the matter to the "Labour' Bills Committee, which meant that the amendment would disappear. Mr Wilford contested tho point, and he had tho satisfaction of securing a majority of one in the subsequent division. When the amendment reached the Legislative Council it was blocked, but eventually a compromise was arrived at, the agreement being that the forty-five hours week should ccmo into operation six months after the conclusion of tho war. This amendment appears on the Statute Book. It has remained for the employers, meeting the employees at the Conciliation Council, to agree to anticipate the operation of the statute, and bring the reduced hours into force at once. A piospective reform is to operate in the immediate future. Mr Wilford is entitled to regard the decision as a tribute to his efforts in the House to have woollen mill employees placed on the same footing in regard to hours as all other factory workers in the Dominion.

Tho Christchurch" Literary and Musical Competitions Society has every reason to be pleased with the success of its ninth annual festival,, the competitive portion of which closed on Thursday night. It is gratifying to learn that the financial results are likely to reach, if not exceed, the society’s , expectations. The entries were the largest in the history of the society, and tho judges have expressed themselves as being well satisfied with the standards of excellence attained. In many sections, indeed, we are told that the standard was very high. There can be no question as to the good influence of the society in encouraging and developing talent among the country’s young people, and there can be no doubt as to the incentive to improvement created by the prospects of the competitors to aohieve a certain fame, quite apart from the knowledge they gain, and the entertainment they provide for their friends and the society’s patrons. The popularity of the society is evidenced in the record entity obtained for the festival! just concluded and in the enthusiastic support given by the public. The surplus takings this year will be added to tho society’s exchequer. Last year and tho year before they were handed to the Red Cross Society. From very humble beginnings tho organisation has grown to one of considerable importance, and the public of Christchurch is not unmindful of the persevering efforts of those who shaped the society’s course and steered it successfully, and appreciates what they have done to further the cause of the arts.