HEALTH PRECAUTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18089, 13 May 1922, Page 10

HEALTH PRECAUTIONS.

CLEANING UP CAMPAIGN.

GOOD RESULTS ACHIEVED.

The plague precautions taken in the Dominion were tho subject of a statement by the Minister for Health, the Hon. C. J. Parr, last evening.

The danger months, said the Minister, were March, April and May, and so far New Zealand had got through very satisfactorily. There were, however, a good many eases in Sydney and Brisbane. The precautionary measures had be*n successful 'in Now Zealand, and the vigorous cleaning up campaign in th 3 various cities had done good. "This was long overdue," said Mr. Parr. "Apart from the- plague danger, tho Conditions in the large cities were deplorable six months ago. The general sanitation and the state of stores, restaurants, public kitchens and fruit shops were 3uch as to form an excofont nest or breeding ground for plague and other diseases. According to the police and other reports, Auckland and Wellington were infested by thousands of rats, which might very readily havo been infected with plague." Tho vigorous sanitation campaign, said Mr,. Parr, had resulted in the cities today being more clean than they probably had ever been before. He appreciated the energetic efforts of the municipal authorities whan they were called upon to remedy existing conditions. Tho Mayor and councillors of Auckland, and the sanitary officers, had responded magnificently to tho calls made upon them, and had thus materially assisted in keeping out the plague. "There must be no resting on our oars," said the Minister, "ana the improved conditions must bo maintained, apart altogether from nnv plague or influenza scare. The danger from the influenza epidemic which swept Europe and America last year appears to have passed for the time being, and tho fact that tho people of this country have escaped a visitation from both diseases is largely on account of the stringent port precautions and to the rat-extermination measures." Mr. Parr said he trusted tho port authorities! would not relax their present vigilance for tho next month or two, after which tho risk from plaguo would be very slight j indeed. 0