WHOLE CONVOY AFFECTED.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14893, 16 October 1918, Page 3 (Supplement)

WHOLE CONVOY AFFECTED.

MANY DEATHS ON ALL VESSELS

■EXCISFC ONE

150 NEW ZEALANDER3. IN HOSPITAL.

[United Press Association.]

Wellington, September. 19. The Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) has received further advice concerning the epidemic which caused the) death of many men of the Fortieth Reinforcements on the voyage to England. Sir James Allen states that this evening he received a cable from Generali Richardson, commanding the New I Zealand Forces in the United Kingdom, in "which General "Richardson reI ported that a Court of Inquiry was bei ing held into the matter, but, as the ! investigation was not complete, the findings of the court were not available. ;He hoped to be able to report in a few days. ' i The Minister added:—"lt appears from this preliminary account, which has come to me, but is not an official i report, that the infection did not come from the vessel's visiting the last port of call which I have previously mentioned. The infection arose subsequently to that, and not on account of men having landed there. It seems to have come from a cruiser which was accompanying the convoy. The sickness was not confined to our men, for all the transports in the convoy except one ' had a large number of deaths. General Richardson thinks that the evidence ; will show that the ship "was not over- ' crowded. Up to date 74 deaths have been reported—6B men having died at ■sea and 6 ashore. There are still 150 lin hospital, two of whom are danger;ously ill The others are all doing well I and are likely to recover. The sickness is rapidly diminishing. The men 1 are now cheery, and they are being well i looked after. General Richardson is ; granting them all special leave immediately they are free from infection.". j General Richardson telegraphs:— I "The New Zealand Expeditionary i Forces in the United Kingdom wish to convey their deepest sympathy to the | relatives of the deceased." Sir James Allen has telegraphed to ! General Richardson, asking him to report the names "of those dangerously ; ill, and to keep the Government adi vised of dangerous of serious cases.