AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16303, 2 December 1918, Page 5

AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL.

HIGHLY INDIGNANT. ■V • | AT MINISTER’S LETTER. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Nov. 30. At a special mooting of the City Council, at which a number of citizens were present, including the Hospital Board, resolutions; were passed as follow : We desire to protest in the strongest manner against the most unwarrantable attack on the Mayor of Auckland by the Minister of Health as published in the morning papers. Wo unhesitatingly say that the Mayor has, in the face of very serious - difficulties, had only one duty before him—namely, the preservation of the health of the community and the strengthening of the hands of Dr. Frengley against the interference of the Minister, when the officer took such steps as he considered necessary to protect the inhabitants of the city and districts. We regret that the Minister, in his telegram to the Mayor, evidently forgot he was a Minister of the Crown by the nature of the language he used, which was unworthy of a Cabinet Minister. Wo protest against the unfounded charges against the Mayor and the corporation against the alleged civic neglect, incompetence, and mismanagement, leading to deaths of a large number of citizens. We believe we are speaking the minds of the whole of the population when wc say that his AVorship’s reputation for ability and devotion to duty stands very high in this city and the province. We desire to record our unabated confidence in the Mayor, and endorse his actions to prevent the berthing of the Makura, if she is an infected ship, and wo demand the withdrawal of the telegram by the Minister, or, if not, that Parliament set up a commission to inquire into the truth of the charges made by the Minister. After the meeting, three members of the Hospital Board waited on Mr. Heather, chairman of the Harbour Board, who is indisposed, requesting that in the event of any sickness at all on the Makura the ship be not berthed by the harbour officers. The chairman agreed, and instructed the harbourmaster that if the ship be found to have sickness on board she will not be berthed in any circumstances. ARRIVAL OF MAKURA. AUCKLAND, Dec. 1. The Makura arrived from, Vancouver at 7 a.m., anchoring in the quarantine anchorage, where she was inspected by Dr. Frengley and Dr. Russell health officer), and Mr. Hughes (district health officer). Afterwards they conferred with -the Mayor and Citizens’ Committee with respect to the vessel’s future movements, and decided that the vessel must be quarantined at Motuihi for seven days. No further information is available, pending the official statement by Dr. Frengley. The Mayor states that the Citizens’ Committee is satisfied with Dr. Frengley’s arrangements. As the Makura’s mails total 2600 bags, the fumigation will take several days. Dr. Frengley stated yesterday that there was no case of influenza on board, but there were five cases of measles, which had recovered, the last case being left in the hospital at, Suva. Ho did not know whether the case was or was not a passenger for Suva.