RELIEF FOR LEPERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18634, 19 February 1935, Page 7

RELIEF FOR LEPERS

TRANSFER TO MAKOGAI CRUISE OF THE MATA I (Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. Seventeen lepers distributed through the islands of the Cook group will have cause for thankfulness that the disastrous hurricane has made the Government dispatch the lighthouse steamer Matai on a visit of investigation to outlying parts of the group.. These lepers have to live in isolation, with no chance of effective treatment until they can be taken to the central leper asylum at Makogai, in the Fiji group. This involves such heavy expense that tho patients usually wait in loneliness for a lengthy period, hut the hurricane has given them their opportunity. Tho Matai, 'which leaves Wellington to-morrow, lias been fitted to pick up all leper patients in the group, and also one from Samoa. Once at Makogai, they will have a fair chance, under expert treatment, of recovering from the disease, but, best- of all, they will get companionship. It is expected that tho Matai will take a month to complete its itinerary. The motor vessel Maui Pornare has been instructed to deviate from its usual course on route from Wellington to Apia in order to investigate conditions on Niue Island, where owing to the improved 1 price of copra the natives have prepared a large consignment.