PLAGUE PRECAUTIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11254, 5 July 1922, Page 4

PLAGUE PRECAUTIONS

NECESSITY FOR CONTINUANCE. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. There has been little mention in the cables recently of plague in Australia, but the Minister for Health (the Hon. O. J. Parr) reoeives regular bulletins from the Federal and New South Wales Departments of Health. Speaking to a “Times” reporter yesterday, the Minister said that the latest bulletins reported the occurrence of two eases of human plague. Iu Sydney, at the end of June, six plague-infected rats had been found. “This,” said Mr Parr, “shows that the risk of the disease coming to New Zealand has not yet ended. I notice that the DirectorGeneral of Health at Sydney advised the Government last month that he feared a rather heavy recurrence of plague next summer, and recommended tjiat the Government should prepare for it. All this goes to shew the necessity for our precautions being continued. There are a great many rodents still in the ports, and in Auckland and Lyttelton rat-catohing is still being carried on vigorously. I understand, however, that rat-catching is to cease in Wellington, and in view of the facts I have given I -propose to have a talk with the Mayor about the -matter. I think the city should keep some operations going rather than take big risks.”