AN ALARMIST REPORT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2059, 10 August 1893, Page 15

AN ALARMIST REPORT.

SUPPOSED CASES OF LEPROSY.

Wellington, August 7. The Evening Press to-night says : — "Mr Smith, a fish and general dealer, who is at present in Wellington, but. whose pace of business is at Greytown, where • ho is well known, positively as.-e.'ts that he knows of several cases of leprosy in this city amongst Chinamen, and he is working the matter up, having already called the attention of the inspector of nuisances to then matter with a view to bringing the state of affairs under the notice of the Government. Our informant, who is a most reliable authority, states that Smith told him in the presence of a well-known city hotelkeeper that he. had seen a Chinaman (whose name he mentioned) at Newtown, and another who lives not a great distance from tho Te Aro Hotel, actually scraping leprosy scales from their faces, and that other Chinamen will, not have any thing, to do with the alleged afflicted ones. A representative of the Evening Press immediately interviewed Mr Smith, who, repeated his allegations, and stated further that he knew exactly what leprosy was, having had considerable experience ia connection with its outbreak in Sydney some time ago, when the citizens agitated and succeeded in getting the Government of New South Wales to set apart an island for the isolation of lepers. Mr Smith is now agitating to have certain Chinamen medically examined." Later. Three Chinamen supposed to be infected have been examined by a doctor, but no signs of leprosy could be found.