THE PESTILENCE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10738, 1 September 1913, Page 5

THE PESTILENCE.

IN AUSTRALIA. ' i United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Sydney, August 30. There were sis cases of smallpox on Saturday, four being females, Sydney, August 31. There was one case of smallpox to-dav. Brisbane, August 281. The inter-State traffic, which was considerably affected owing to the smallpox scare, is gradually returning to normal proportions. THE STUDENT YAOOINACORS. Per Press Association. Auckland, August 31. A party of twelve senior medical students reached Auckland from the Otago University in Saturday morning. They have come in response to the request of the Department of Public Health for service in the campaign againt smallpox. They reported themselves during the forenoon to the Chief Officer, and received from him an outline of the work which they had come to the front with much enthusiasm and a keen desire to have their abilities and resourcefulness put to the test. Pour, Messrs Tapper, Watt, Myers and Haslett, left for Whangarei, en route to Kaikohe to report to Dr. Oawkwell Two more, Messrs Serpell and Cameron, go to Mongonui by the steamer which leaves on Monday, to do duty under the direction of Dr. Will The remaining six will be kept in Auckland for the time to do patrol work and assist n vaccinating contacts. As a result of the location of a secreted case at Orakei on Thursday, through the activity of the Mayor and the City Council’s inspectors, the Chief Health officer has agreed to declare a quarantine over the whole of the Orakfii settlement until it has been declared free. The native in authority is being allowed to come into the city in order to arrange tor supplies for the natives, but he will report himslf frequently to the Health office in order that his freedom from disease may be checked. Superintendent Mitchell is acceding to the request of the Chief Health officer, to place a constable in charge of the settlement during the quarantine period Hamilton, August 80, Strong comments were made by Hamilton Borough Council on the attitude of the Health Department in regard to smallpox The Mayor stated that a deputation of natives waited upon him yesterday appealing for medical assistance to be sent to the pahs, where there is much illness anart from smallpox, the medical men refusing to visit the camps, and they are also sorely in %vant of sustenance, some kaingas being on the verge of starvation, the natives having no food and no money, and being prohibited from leaving the camps they have no means of earning any. The Health Department, said the Mayor, had taken the administration of the health law out of the bauds of the local bodies, but immediately it struck trouble it shirked responsibility. It was impossible for the local inspector to supervise all the camps in Waikato which were very scattered and stretched over a wide area. The consequence was that the natives wandered and the deputation which called at his office was from a badly infected camp The attitude of the Department ail through, he said, rivalled a Colbert and Sullivan Opera. It was decided to send strong protest to the Minister demanding more stringent measures to wipe out the disease in Waikato, more strict supervision of the movements of natives and attention to their wants.