SCHOOLS NOT TO REOPEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17381, 30 January 1920, Page 4

SCHOOLS NOT TO REOPEN

PRECAUTIONARY; MEASURES MILD INFLUENZA prevalent. ::'■■ no serious OUTBREAK. [iff TELEGRAPH—OWN COBBESFONDEirr.] i. X ' "V WELLINGTON, Thursday. .

'. Owing to the prevalence of mild influenza Dr. R. H. Makgill, acting-chief health officer, stated to-day that it had been decided to ask the public and private schools throughout the Auckland, Wellington, and Taranaki districts to remain' closed for the present instead of reopening next week. Dr. Makgill added that this must not be interpreted as meaning that the epidemic was assuming a more severe type. The proportion of pneumonic and more serious cases was, if anything, lower than ii was a month ago. Nevertheless, it would be inviting the spread of infection if the schools were to be reopened next week as proposed. This applied to private as well as to public schools, i'arents of children who were at present at summer'resorts would do well to leave the'children there for another week if possible. The Department wished to avoid numbers of children travelling about by rail or otherwise at .present juncture. It was equally desirable that children should be kept away from crowds of all sorts, picture shows, theatres, and similar gatherings. Dr. Makgill stated that had the schools been already opened it- was not likely the Department would, in the existing circumstances, have closed them, but as they were already closed it was thought better to keep them closed rather than run the .risk of spreading infection. He stated that it was not proposed at present to do anything in the direction of closing Sunday ' schools, because these were only weekly gatherings and it was not considered they were attended with the same degree of risk.

AUCKLAND 'ORDER ISSUES. - NINE HOSPITAL DISTRICTS. An ordur requiring all public and private schools within the Auckland health district to remain closed until further notice was issued yesterday by the district health officer, Dr. H. G. H. Monk. The schools in the Auckland education district were fixed to re-open next Monday, and the secondary schools, in the usual course, would also have opened next month. The order issued by the district health officer is due to the prevalence of mild cases o' influenza. In a statement yesterday, Dr. Monk said the decision to keep the schools closed was merely a, precautionary measure. Very few serious cases of influenza, he said, h*d been notified during the pest month, but the mild cases reported were sufficiently numerous to make it undesirable that children should re-assemble in the schools at present. There was, he said, no occasion for any alarm on the part of the public. . ~,,.,, , The hospital districts included in the order are those of Auckland Waikato, Thames, Waihi, Mercury Bay, Taumarunui, Taurauga, Opotiki, and Whakatane. In conformity with the order the Auckland Board has directed that all the schools within its district shall remain closed until further notice. - v

NELSON POSTPONEMENT. THE COLLEGES INCLUDED. [BY thjsojufh.— association.] NELSON. Thursday. 'At the request of v ,the Public Health Department theYeopening of the. Nelson .Bovs' and Girls' Colleges and of schools in tho' Nelson Education Board's district* has been postponed for one week. SOUTHERN BOARDING SCHOOLS. i PERIOD OF QUARANTINE. [BI TELEGRAPH.—PBBSB ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHUECH, Thursday. 'Ae Public Health Department is issuing an order that all scholars arriving from the North Island to attend boarding schools m the South Island are to be quarantined at theii schools for 48 hours before being allowed to mix in classes or otherwise with tie other scholars. • OHRISTOHUROH PRECAUTIONS. CITIZENS' COMMITTEE MEETING. [BI telegraph.—pbess association.] CHBISTCHUKCH. Thursday. The Mayor stated to-d»y that as influtnza was prevalent in other -ountries i \&i been decided to c.'i a m ting of t e Cit*3ns' Committee ••.to ..it d soon sner the epidemio of l'Jit ? '•'• 'Is bad been placed on duty this wornirw. There was verj little influenza iie;e s-w, DrThackei said, but they wanted to orevent it coming as it did previously. In any case; they would not Ufa it cod-* while they were unprepared.