MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 43, 15 November 1918, Page 6

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

DEATH OF A CONSTABLE. Mounted Constable D. Hasselbertr died in the Emergency Hospital, Central Police Station, about 7.55 yesterday morning from complications arising out of an attack of influenza. The deceased, whoso parents reside iit Timaru. joined the Police Force on July 1, 1915, and was made a mounted constable about July • last. Jlis superior officers say he wn° a smart young policeman with a promising future before him, and his dentil is very much regretted by all the members of the force. The Police Force has been consider-, ably weakened by the ravages of the epidemic, and (he authorities are canying on under great difficulties. WELLINGTON COT.TV.nE AND HOS- '• PITAL OFFERED. Yesterday Mr. .T. P, i'irtli, principal of the Wellington College, offered tho use of,the college hospital and one of tho college buildings to the nufhorities for influenza patients. The hospital has twelve beds, and is thoroughly well equipped. There is also a good supply of milk available from the cows kept on tho extensive grounds for the use of the college. TRAM SERVICE CURTAILED. In consequence of the number of tramway employees suffering from' influenza, it has been found necessary Io curtail tho car eoj-vicc. An endeavour will be made to give a maximum service between the hours of 7 and 9.30 a.m. aud -1.30 and CIO p.m. At olher time.; the service will be reduced by one-half, except affor 8 p.m., when "tlie service may I>p still fm-Hier reduced. Aro Street, Wallaco Street, aud Oriental Kay services may be entirely suspended, and, in any case, only one. ear will nperale on these lines. The public arc requested to refrain from using the cars for pleasure (ripping. The running of the obs-rvation car is Ci ,,,,. u |l ci | ij|| further notice. The public can also d" nuii-h f« refine" the pressure liy leaving longdistance cars for long-distance. passengers. IHJBLTC ÜBRARIES CLOSED. Both the lending and references departments of the Municipal Public T,ibnries in Wellington and Newtown lmvo been closed uutil further notice.

STANDARD MIXTURE. Instructions have been issued throughout the Dominion for the preparation oi the standard epidemic mixture, which is to be placed on s.ilo at depots in all cities, towns, and suburbs, 'iho remedy is also to be forwarded to all country post offices for the benefit of the people in the backblocks. It will lie sold at a cost of Is. per bottle, and in necessitous coses will be dispensed free.

COOD WORK BY STUDENTS. Tho Minister of Public Health (Hon. G. W. Russell) staled last evening that six senior inodical students from Otago University had been distributed over the various districts in the 'North Island, some of which had no doctors, and were doing excellent work. On Tuesday invitations were Rent out to tho presidents of the brandies of the British Metlienl Association at Auckland, Wellington, Christcluirch, and Dunedin, soliciting co-operation in combating the epidemic, and replies have been received from Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, heartily acquiescing in the suggestion

The epidemic has crossed Cook Strait, and already many of the population of JUarlhoroiijjh and Nelson provinces have been'stricken; The Pieton Hospital was full yesterday, and the house doctor and the larger proportion of the staff were ailiii" also. Five cases of influenza have occurred on the steamer Karn, which is at presei.t quarantined at Port Nelson. Those alfectod irci-Mr. W. J. Burns chief officer, two seamen, a fireman, and the cook. The sufferers have been taken 10 the Nelson Hospital. Volunteer Boy Scouts were in attendance at all committee headquarters yesterday " and rendered good .service as messengers. They are not asked to perform duties to which risk Iβ attached, such na infected houses, and they have been told what precautions to take More Scouts will be required as the committees get organised, and those willing to act as messengers are asked to assemble to-day outside the I.M.UA. at 9 a.m. Scoutmasters who have not been communicated with should get in touch with t'ne committees m their dislrTheßev. Dr. Gibb asks the women of St. John's who are willing and capable of helping to nurse, etc., the sick in St. John's buildings to meet him in the Willis Street 'classroom itlus morning at 10.30 o'clock. The ;yumber of patients in the buildings is diready large, and competent assistance in attending to their needs will be welcomed by the is still absolutely full. Alexandra Hall and ■ Sydney Street temporary hospitals are full, and St. John's Schoolroom, winch was fitted with beds yesterday, by last evening had approaching thirty cases in its beds. The patients at Wellington Hospital who wero seriously ill are reported to be slightly better. However a good number of the patients in the Fever Hospital aro in a very serious state. One tiled on Wednesday night. _~,., Fifty-three nurses of the Wellington Hospital staff are down with influenza and other branches of the. hospital staff are affected. Yesterday the matron (Miss Stottywas indisposed, and went oft diitv Dr. Barclay (the hospital superintendent) and Dr. Fitzgerald, who have been laid aside, are reported 'to be considerably better. Dr. Cottell also lias improved a great deal. None of these dotcors have yet returned to duty. JJr. Pattersjn, of Dunedin, is acting-superin-tendent, and'is assisted by three young doctors. Drs. Hewitt and Adams are assisting by visiting the Main Hospital, and Dr. Fyffe by, visiting the Fever Hos--11 Two of the ambulance drivers have contracted tho complaint, but havo been replaced. - YT 111 The Wellington office of the Health Department is still working at high pressure. Great difficulty is found in keeping pace with the .lemnnds for disinfectiun, and so on. The oEice was unfortunate enough to lose its chief, Dr. \\ aw, who has been an influenza victim tor some time yesterday. Colonel Makgill was appointed to carry on'in Dr. Watt's.absence. The influenza epidemic has assumed a very serious aspect in Musterlon (says the "Daily Times"). On Tuesday night three deaths occurred at the Masterton Hospital, and on Wednesday morning an, other death was reported. Iil : every part of the town homes are stricken. The deceased include Mr. John Harp, formerly of Carterton; M.r. G. Brown, of Mauriceville; and Joan Hall, daughter of a Featherston resident. The Wellington Gas Company, whose staff has to do n great deal of house-to-house calling, has set up its own tni halation chamber. All employees are 'being asked fo submit themselves foi treatment once a day. The. offices of the Wellington Educalion Board have been closed until Monday next. The warehouse of Messrs. Joseph .Nathan and Co- has been closed for business until Monday next. In Auckland there are just on eighty oi the police afflicted. - The shipping offices were to have renpened yesterday, after the armistice holidays, but as there was no work being done "on the wharves, and the staffs, managers, clerks, typists andt errand boys were much depleted, the offices were closed almost without exception until Monday. In the meantime, disinfection' and fumigation aro proceeding. The Union Company's office is open. The City Council is taking steps to disinfect the streets. Last night FeaIherston Street was sprayed ,with a strong disinfectant. There were fifty patient* aboard the hospital ship Takapuna yesterday. There is nothing special to report from this The women of St. John's Church willing and able to help in nursing the sink in St. John's buildings/are asked to meet Dr. Gibb at 10.30 this morning in the Willis Street classroom. The Mayor issues an appeal in our advertisement columns requesting citizens win can afford the time to assist to their utmost ability, the officers m charge of the different districts. The addresses of the officers in charge of the different districts are set out in an advertisemeu:. Tho Brooklyn District) Committee, with headquarters at the local school (M*phone 31.i8) is in need of helpers, A meeting of the Supreme Court au-tlioi-Ities and Law Society is to be held to-morrow morning to consider tho advisableness of postponing all jury cases until the worst of the epidemic is over. The epidemic is severe at Petone, according to our special correspondent, and there hnvo been several deaths. The I'-nimigh Council hns token strong measures to deal with the trouble. An inhalation chamber has been set up, and a water-cart is spreading disinfectant in the streets. The wholo of the town e be ;i" thoroughly cleaned and disinI'vled. Tho chemists are still working long hours dispensing disinfectants. Formalin is at a premium, and can scarcely be obtained in the city. Some of the men engaged on tho work of supplying the public with medicine wero m a stato of considerable exhaustion yesterday. Several chemists were closed. One posted on his door this notice:-' Closed. Ml hands ill." , ~ Into many of the hotels and boardinghouses the'epidemic has found its way. Two of the staff of ono hotel have died, and other* in the same'house are sick. Tho medical eitlo of tho Defence Department, is giving all tfiu assistance it can to help the civilian population. Over a dozen doctors hnvti gone lo Auckland, and chemists also have been sent north. •Vt present all available Ambulance Corps men are being called in for work in the camps where help is badly needed. Many motor-cars in Wellington liavtthe Red Crosses bought by subscribers to one of tho recent patriotic funds, n is thought by some that during the epidemic these should bo taken down, ws cars labelled with a red cross are liable I to be mistaken for relief vehicles. In one city office all (he typist stall is ill, and yesterday the manager spoilt a considerable portion of his time doing the typing. He did not break any speed i 'record, but licki'tl away valiantly with i imio finger of each hand. Boy scouts are. doing good service, l>ut more of them are sought. The various inhalation chambers about the city are being freely used- At Defence Headquarters a sprayer'lias beei« fitted up, and the staff undergo five minutes' treatment in .ttio nprayincThe eomennr in the Northland district, in an advertisement, states that workers of both rexes aro urgently required, also v few floy Scouts or girls to run orrauds.

ThoM Hilling to assist are asked to report id tho Northland School, or nug telephone 1307. i , . A man collapsed in Uilhs Street yosterdny, and alter being attended to by a couple of friends was removed do a place of treatment. A meeting of those willing to assist in fighting tiie epidemic in the Berhampore district will bo held in the Masonic Hall at 8 o'clock to-night. Workers are appealed for, also clean old linen. ; I 4. martini; of residents of Aaron will bn held in the Borough Council Chambers this evening at 8 to consider measures ior fighting the epidemic. - His Grace the Archbishop has dispensed Catholics from the law of abstinence on Fridays during the influenza ei Tlio"coiivcncr.of the New town Committee states that there is urgent need of assistance in the district, and states that in«ji and women who are willing to help, uituer with personal attendance or jrifts of soup, etc., will be g adly w01u011...,! u 011 ...,! -jt the Newtmvn School this '"'•' vor and Mayoress .impress upon tV.e . ..uii'umity that in any cases in which they can personally be of any assistant their services will bo gladly. B hen. The Mayoress's telephone number is 23G4. The Lyall Bay convener requests anyf.no requiring help to ring telephone 2GIM or send word to tfie locn school; A meet iiiß of thoso willing to \\e]» will be held in the Lvall Bay Schoolroom this evening at 8 o'clock