INFLUENZA AMONG MAORIS

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1931, Page 12

INFLUENZA AMONG MAORIS

DEATH AT OHANGAI PA. SUSPECTED PNEUMONIC MALADY. With regard to the reported outbreak of pneumonic influenza at Taiporohenui and Ohangai pas, the health inspector (Mr. R. Gooding) reported to the Hawera County Council on Saturday that he had visited the Ohangai pa and had interviewed the Rev. H. Curran, native missioner. Mr. Curran approached the Maori Council and requested that the body of a woman whose death was presumed to be of pneumonic conditions, should be sealed in the casket and the burial proceeded with. This was done, and the mourners immediately returned to their homes. The position was being closely watched by the health inspector. “A Maori infant died at the Taiporohenui pa through pneumonia,” stated the inspector. “Influenza is now more or less epidemic and early medical attention. is advised. Several families are affected and numbers are affected in each family.” One case of pneumonic influenza was reported from Hawera on October 6, the patient being a married man with six children. JUBILEE OF PATEA. FROCKS HALF-CENTURY OLD. Week-end shoppers at Patea enjoyed a foretaste of the jubilee carnival atmosphere on Saturday night last, when the town was brilliantly illuminated with flashing signs and strings of coloured lights. The superbly decorated water tower was visible for many miles and attracted a great deal of attention. Not least among the attractions was the exhibition of frock styles worn in Patea as long ago as 1875, exhibited by Mr. A. E. Wainwright and loaned by Mrs. Honeyfield, sen., one of the oldest residents of the district. One frock, 53 years old, complete with bustle and voluminous skirt of fancy silk taffetas in golden brown, is a perfect example of the period. Other exhibits include a hand embroidered lace fichu collar made over a century ago, mittens, housecaps, and a black satin peau-de-soie with leg-of-mutton sleeves.

The quality of the material and the thoroughness of detail is a tribute to the workmanship of the early needleworkers, and constitute a link with the town’s history, as the garments displayed were worn in Patea 50 years ago. Advice has been received by the Patea jubilee executive that special day excursion fares will be issued to Patea from New Plymouth, Waitara, Wanganui and intermediate stations from October 13 to 17 inclusive. At a meeting of the jubilee executive it was announced that the Hon. A. J. Young, Minister of Health, would be present at the celebrations. It was resolved that side-shows should, not be permitted. • GENERAL ITEMS. j The part imagination plays in testing' the quality of cheese was illustrated, at a recent directors’ meeting of a South Taranaki company. A cheese from another factory was to be tested against one of the company’s own and two of those present were deputed to go to the store room and bring in the respective samples. These duly appeared and it was generally agreed that one was a much better cheese jbhan the other, while one man with an expert knowledge of cheese-making emphatically declared that the difference was clearly due to pasteurisation. At this stage the directors were let into the secret that both samples were of the same cheese and that the other cheese would be brought in for test immediately. In this case the tasters v/ere not quite so emphatic in their opinions. The attention of the Hawera County Council was drawn to the dangers of cyclists riding without lights and wandering stock, by two letters from the South Taranaki Automobile Association. The chairman, Mr. J. B. Murdoch, said that hardly a night went by without a number of cyclists using the roads close to town without lights. No greater danger existed, than these unlighted machines on the roads at night. It was decided to instruct the inspector to keep a close watch for offenders for it was felt only prosecutions would lessen the menace. There was an attendance of over 60 players at the Tawhiti school euchre party on' Friday. The ladies’ first prize was won by Mrs. V. Warner, and the second prize by Mrs, Kclsen. The first and second men’s prizes went to Messrs. C. Coad and P. Pepperell respectively. The winners of. the ‘‘silent” prizes were Mrs. J. B. Laurenson and Mr. L. Ba.iltrop. About 40 couples attended, an enjoyable dance organised by the City Football Club in the Rewa at Hawera on Saturday night. Dance music was provided by Wills’ Melodymakers Orchestra with extras by members of the orchestra. Messrs. O. Brown, and M. Good were the secretaries and., Mr, J. Freyne was master of ceremonies.