ARCTIC WEATHER

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 78, 1 March 1929, Page 7

ARCTIC WEATHER

RETURNS IN BRITAIN. DANGER TO HEALTH. INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC. (United Press Association —By Electric * Telegraph—Copyright.) (Times Cables.) LONDON, Feb. 28. A return of Arctic weather in full blast has gravely increased the dangers attendant on respiratory diseases. Severe frosts continue to be reported almost throughout the country, but even worse are the wintry blasts of the east wind, which are testing even strong constitutions. Horse racing has been off continuously for over a fortnight and owners have been deprived of £30,000 in stake money for the abandonment of 33 days’ lacing. The Waterloo Cup, .after being twice postponed, is now tentatively fixed for the middle of March. Ice skating is again in full swing in most parts. SHELLS ON CORNISH COAST. SIGN OF WARM SUMMER. (Australian Press Association.) LONDON, Feb. 27. Though Britain, following a warmer week-end, has been thrown back to ice age conditions, nevertheless there is a welcome harbinger of a warm summer. Shells have just been found on the Cornish Coast, brought by the Gulf Stream from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands beaches. They have never before been seen, except in years marked by the hottest summers. The last occasion was in 1921. INFLUENZA CASES. WORSE THAN 1918. ■(Times Cables). LONDON, Feh. 27. “The epidemic record last week is the blackest in the city’s history,” reported the Health Officer of Leeds when supplying influenza statistics. * ‘lt was worse than the worst week of the serious eqidemic of 1918. The deaths totalled b2o. This is the worst recorded, and is equivalent to 68 per 1000 of the population. The most tragic aspect relates to infants under twelve months, among whom the deaths were three to every ten.” The Health Department is certain that the actual position is worse than the figures indicate, because many cases of pneumonic influenza are not reported to the department. Consumptive cases are abnormal. The influenza cases reported for the present week indicate an even worse total, though the public have long been convinced that the epidemic can be ranked with the worst that has occurred in England. Leeds is the first centre to give actual figures, however.