The Australian Restrictions.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15483, 15 December 1913, Page 8

The Australian Restrictions.

The Minister added, . "The Australian authorities are still imposing restrictions as against New Zealand passengers, while demanding that restrictions be withdrawn in New Zealand as against passengers from Sydney. lam still in communication with the Commonwealth authorities, and hope that before long I shall be able to announce that all restrictions have been withdrawn. I might add that as far as travelling within New Zealand is concerned, it is my intention to withdraw all restrictions before Christmas, and possibly within a week. * . }H\S\f'. Russell ( Avon >> congratulated the Minister and the Health Department on the fact that the epidemic had been stamped out. He spoke of the special services rendered by Dr. Rangihiroa aid expressed the hope that certain facts as to the effectiveness of vaccination amongst the natives which the member for the Northern Maori District had collected would be published by the Department. He hoped that the Minister would endeavour to induce all unvaccinated Maoris to be vaccinated. He acknowledged the vigour displayed by the Department in stamping out the epidemic, when it once set about the work. Maoris Dealt With Justly. Dr. Rangihiroa thanked the Minister for his kindly references to his services. Anything that he was able to accomplish had ; been a labour of love. Although the re strictions imposed by the Department upon the movements of natives mav have sermcl severe, he recognised that they were necessary and anything that the" Department had done in this direction had his entire support and, as a whole, it had the sup port of the Maoris. He referred to the services of the medical students from tip Otago University, and said that, although there had been a disposition in Auck'ud to sneer at the action of the Department in obtaining the services of these students, they had done excellent work, at a con siderable sacrifice in regard to their studies. The data that he had collected in regard to the efficacy of vaccination would be placed before the medical conference, to be held in Auckland in February next. Mr. J. A. Young (Waikato) expressed appreciation of the services of various officers, including Drs. Douglas, Stapley and Elizabeth Gunn, and Inspector Bennett. The Hon. R. H. Rhodes, in replying, said that he had every intention of making use of the statistics compiled by Dr. Rangihiroa, and would circulate this, and other information, throughout the country. He would wait, however, until the medical conference had met in Auckland, when the matter would be thoroughly thrashed out. With regard to Mr. Russell's suggestion that means should bo taken to vaccinate the whole of the native race, the Minister said that, at the suggestion of the members for Eastern and Northern Maori Districts, he had already had this proposal under consideration.