INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16406, 3 April 1919, Page 7

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

THE NIAGARA. PASSENGERS IN QUARANTINE. ), " ’ Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, April 2. It is now reported that 15 cases of influenza were landed from the Niagara at Motuihi, also several contacts. The cases include three saloon, six second class passengers, and six of the crew. Three cases are rather serious, but none are dangerous. There are about 500 passengers on the Niagara. The ordinary quarantine is 60 hours after the lajt case has. developed. THE COMMISSION. MORE DUNEDIN EVIDENCE. DUNEDIN, April 3. Before the Influenza Commission evidence was given to-day by Kenneth Cameron, chief inspector for Otago and Southland Health District. He said the Public Health Department on the one hand and the local authorities on the other were prevented, through lack of an adequate staff, from carrying out any but a comparatively small portion of their public health responsibilities. A further handicap was the want of proper system, resulting in waste of time and labour. For the Otago Board there was an inspector for every 85,000 of the population and in Southland one for every 32,000. The total cases of infectious disease had increased very much in recent years, medical men being of opinion that a considerable portion of them was due to the non-enforc-ing of reasonable precautions, which was due to lack of staff. There were twenty times as many cases of infectious diseases notified in Otago now, compared with 16 years ago. He cited instances of the disadvantages of divided control, and said it was obvious that all public health matters should be under one controlling authority. The Public Health Department should undertake the whole work. The department needed strengthening to a proper basis. Witnesses before the commission in the four cities were emphatic that the inspectors had no power to inspect the interiors of buildings, but he thought that this view was incorrect. XHe found the local authorities generally would welcome the issue of general and comprehensive public health regulations.