AUCKLAND EXHIBITION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 37

AUCKLAND EXHIBITION.

THE RECENT EPIDEMIC.

A large number of visitors from Otago arc- expected to attend the Auckland Exhibition, which is to be opened on December 1. So far people in the South Island have ' heard little concerning the exhibition, and the authorities of the venture have organised a “publicity campaign” to interest the people of the dominion as a. whole in it. Mr H. Hardcastlc, who has been appointed to supply the public, through the press, with information on the Subject, arrived from the north on the 20th. •

Mr Hardcastle, when seen, stated that, in view pf his desire for the success of tho exhibition, he was concerned at the anxiety apparent in some parts of the South Island regarding the recent outbreak of smallpox at Auckland. “ Without going into tho very debatable question whether the disease was smaJliiox or not,” he remarked “it is safe to say that at no time were the noople of the city of Auckland very worried about it.->

It is true that a good many people, feeling ' that they must be ou the safe side, underwont vaccination; and in all probability that helped to chock the spread ‘of the malady. But at no time did tho epidemic ■ show any signs of an inclination to spread t among the white population; in fact, ae far i: as I know, the white cast’s were all infooted by Maoris, who were at first ignorant j of the seriousness of tho carelessness which L they displayed. Fortunately for Auckland,’ tho worst of the outbreak was a long way from the city, and the restrictions placed 1 on tho movements of the Maoris, difficult ? as they were to enforce without chance oL_| evasion, kept the cases so few that they | were cut off from the opportunity to spread ; f and the city is now practically absolutely clear of the disease.”