SMALLPOX ON AORANGI.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18502, 25 February 1930, Page 9

SMALLPOX ON AORANGI.

PASSENGERS QUARANTINED FOR THREE WEEKS. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 24. When the Aorangi arrived at 5.50 p.m. on Sunday she was boarded by Dr Boyd, of the Health Department, who took the place of Dr Russell, Port Health Officer, who is indisposed. After an inspection occupying half an hour, Dr Boyd summoned Dr Hughes, who arrived at the ship’s side within 20 minutes, and .they had a consultation, lasting over an hour. At 8 p.m., more than two hours after the vessel’s arrival, the doctors returned to shore. The liner hoisted her anchorage lights, and it was announed that she would remain in the stream until this mdrning. Simultaneously a launch conveying Customs officers, who had not been permitted on board, returned ' to Queen’s Wharf. Dr Hughes meanwhile obtained confirmation of his action from the Director-General of Health, Dr T. H. Valintine, and at 9.30 p.m. paid a second visit to the ship, in company with Dr Gunson, consulting physician. They returned at 10 o’clock, when Dr Hughes announced that the vessel was under quarantine, and that she wouia have to go to the quarantine station, at Motuihi, where the passengers would be landed and the vessel quarantined. A Mild Case. The patient is suffering from a mild form of smallpox. Dr Hughes said she contracted the disease, before joining the Aorangi at Vancouver. The period of incubation must have ended about the time the vessel was at Suva, for it was the day after leaving that port that smallpox symptoms were observed. The young women had .been isolated on the ship, and every possible precaution had been taken. She would be landed at Motuihi, and placed in isolation. The passengers will be vaccinated while on the island, and the ship thoroughly fumigated, said Dr Hughes. All passengers booked for New Zealand will have to remain on the island in the meanwhile. The accommodation in the quarantine quarters there is good, and there is ample room for all obliged to remain there. The victualling of the passengers during their enforced stay, which may extend for from two to three weeks, will be a matter for arrangement between the Health Department and the Union Company. After the fumigation of the Aorangi is completed, the passengers booked for Australia will be re-embarkea. The steamer will then return to Auck- ‘ land, and anchor in the stream, not being permitted to berth. It is hoped to despatch her for Sydney about 9 o'clock this evening after the steamer has been fumigated. It was stated by the Union Company’s officials that it was not intended to discharge the New Zealand cargo on the Aorangi. Instead it would be taken to Sydney and there transhipped to the Dominion. Unloading while the the liner is at Motuihi would involve transhipment into lighters, and without the usual port facilities the operation would take too long.

Golfers’ and Farmers’ Arrangements Upset. The prohibition against landing has come as an unpalatable surprise to passengers, among whom are the noted golfers, Walter Hagen and J. H. Hirkwood, who were to play a match at Titirangi to-morrow, and the Canadian members of the Empire Farmers’ party who are to tour the Dominion. It being the end of the tourist season, in New Zealand and Australia, the passenger list is light, only numbering approximately 200. Advice to Passengers. The Aorangi will return from Motuihi this afternoon and leaves for Sydney at noon on Tuesday. Passengers from New Zealand to Sydney are advised by the Union. Company to travel by the Aorangi, after having besu vaccinated. An alternative is that they may go by the Maunganui on Friday. 'The latter is fairly fully booked. Hagen and Kirkwood. Kirkwood and Hagen will stay aboard the Aorangi going on to Sydney to-night. The New Zealand matches have been abandoned. The Mails. The Aorangi brought 1700 bags of English and American mail for New Zealand. After the vessel anchored a launch hired by the Postal Department, brought ashore 201 bags of letter mail of which 161 bags were despatched south by the main trunk express last evening, the other 40 bags being for Auckland. Until further notice the public will not be allowed to visit the part of the island which has been used as a Marine Park for the last two seasons. VESSEL SAILING THIS MORNING. SMALLPOX IN MILD FORM. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 24.‘ The Aorangi left the stream this morning and anchored off the Quarantine station on Motuhihi Island in the Gulf. The smallpox patient is a married woman, aged 30, and booked at Vancouver for Sydney. Examination of the case to-day confirms the original opinion that the disease has been contracted in a mild form, and the possibility of spread is considered remote. A day out from Suva the woman became ill, and the ship’s doctor, becoming suspicious, at once isolated the patient, who was

travelling alone and was the sole occupant of a cabin in the second class. From there till Auckland was reached the strictest isolation was observed. To-day the patient was removed to the Quarantine station. All the passengers and crew of the Aorangi were vaccinated to-day. All except first-class travellers bound for Sydney were landed on the quarantine station, and a thorough fumigation ol the ship was carried out. With through passengers aboard, the Aorangi will leave Motuhihi tomorrow morning, and return to Auckland, but will not berth here. About two hundred passengers for Sydney will embark, only about thirty of those who bad booked having cancelled their passage. All these new passengers, if they wish to avoid risk of detention in Sydney, will have to be vaccinated before they board the ship. The remalner of the Aorangi English and American mail for New Zealand will be landed to-morrow, but no cargo will be discharged. This will be carried on to Sydney, and later brought to New Zealand in another steamer.

There is some doubt to-night as to how long the passengers in quarantine will have to remain there. The Director General of Health (Dr Valintine) has advised that all who are vaccinated can be released, but when they will be released is not known yet. The ship will leave to-morrow under quarantine and what will be done at Sydney is a matter *or the Australiari authorities, but it is stated that those vaccinated will be released in Sydneyon surveillance. VACCINATED PASSENGERS TO BE RELEASED. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, Februarv 24. A telegram received by the Minister of Health (Hon A. J. Stallworthy) from the Dirbctor-General of Health (Dr T. H. A. Valintine), states that passengers in quarantine would be discharged after vaccination in accordance with modern practice. • The Union Steam Ship Company has received a cablegram from the Health Authorities in Sydney, stating that any passengers who had been successfully vaccinated within the past seven years might be released under surveillance after arrival there. Telephone advice fiom Motuihi tonight, was to the effect that the quarantined passengers were comfortably housed, and were receiving the best of attention from the staff appointed to look after them. A case of dysentery found aboard the ship was iisembarked and placed under treatment. DECISION OF SYDNEY AUTHORITIES. SMALLPOX OF MILD TYPE. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received February 24, 10.25 p.m.) SYDNEY, February 24. The health authorities at Sydney are preparing for the arrival of the Aorangi from Auckland next Friday. They will order her into quarantine for twenty-four hours, after which if there is no further smallpox, she will be allowed to go to her berth, with all who are eligible for release under surveillance. The chief quarantine doctor here said the American type of smallpox closely resembled severe chickenpox, and unlike the Asiatic type was rarely fatal.