GENERAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 51, 25 November 1918, Page 6

GENERAL ITEMS

THE AUCKLAND DEATH-BOLL. Some exaggerated reports have been put into circulation regarding the number of deaths in Auckland from influenza and resulting complications. The Mayor of Auckland stated on Thursday , that about GOO deaths had been caused in the city and suburbs ]>y the epidemic. He mentioned that about 458 interments had taken place at YVaikumet.e Cemetery since the beginning of the month.

Again this week there will be no pnssenger steamer from Australia, owing to tho epidemic. The mails, however, are on the water, and should reach Auckland to-morrow by tlis Tarawera. Tho cable iepair ship Iris put into port from Cook Strait on Saturday morning to have ihree of her crew who are influenza patients transferred to a shore hospital. Six of the crew of the Paparoa. wero on Saturday taken from-rhe ship's hospital to local hospitals. Two slight cases of influenza were admitted to .lie wharf clearing station on Saturday, but none yesterday. One man was discharged yesterday, and there are still about six who are in it mild condition. The death occurred in the Blenheim Hospital on Friday night of Mr. Joseph Riivenseroft, a fireman on the Waisau. Jlr. Anton Larson, a seaman on the YVakiitri, died in the Missions to Seamen's Hospital on Thursday. M>. P. Fraser, JI.P., is still confined to his home with influenza. One new wise was reported in tho Borhainpore district yesterday. The two cases previously reported are considered serious. Tho Christchureh Returned Soldiers' Association has suffered severely during the present epidemic, the president (Mr. H. M. Cotton), tho secretary (Mr. 0. W. Green), and a prominent member of tho executive committee (Mr. W. 51. Reid) having died practically within one week. A number ot the. members of the association have also been cut off by tho epidemic. There have only been two cremations lit Karori since the epidemic commenced its fatal crusiule. Hygienicnlly, cremation is considered (he ideal method of disposing of the dead, but the Minister of Hospitals, when approached on the mutter of milking it compulsory for the bodies of inllucitza victims lo be cremated, whs averse to Inking any action on (lie grounds of existing religious scruples against cremation. Helpers are urgently required at. the Auxiliary Hospital at Joluisonville, where several cases from the county have been '.idniitled. . ,

THE BANK CLOSURE

EFFECT ON 'P.O. SAVINGS BANK. As anticipated the closing of tho banks in Wellington is having an appreciable effect on the business of the Post Office Savings Bank. So far no reports from other centres on this subject have readied headquarters, but in Wellington, business people who have not hitherto used the Post Office Savings Bank have opened accounts themselves, and are paying in cheques in plenty, whilst others are doing so through the medium of their employee's accounts in the Post Office Savings Bunk, and this at a time when the bank is as lamentably short of staff as are the ordinary banks. There is nothing to prevent people so acting, and in a day or so to have a large enough account to operate on. The Post Office Bank accepts cheques from any of' its depositors, and only three or four days have to elapse before cash may be drawn against such cheques, but the practice, as one may be sure, can scarcely 1)0 acceptable in view of the increased work entailed upon depleted staffs. The Post Office Sayings Bank, it is pointed out, was instituted for the benefit of small depositoi'6, and not for business firms, but necessity has forced the.latter to take advantage of the "people's bank" in order to carry on whilst the big banks are closed.

Chambers of Commerce and business men in many parts of New Zealand have telegraphed to the Minister of Finance (Sir Joseph AVard) with reference to tho inconvenience caused by the closing of the banks. "The inconvenience is fully recognised," said Sir Joseph Ward on Saturday, "and if it could be obviated with Bafety throughout tho Dominion this would be done at once, but more than half the bank staffs arc down with influenza, and the remainder could not carry out the duties required by tho public even if they were called back. Deaths have taken place among tho elafl's of tho banks even so late as yesterday, and the first consideration must be tho prevention of further loss of life nnd of the spreading of the disease. OneInstitution cannot be treated differently from another, and it is well known that people frequenting public counters while Buffering from influenza are a serious menace, not only to depleted bank staffs, but also to others making use of the banks. The controllers of the banks must be best able to judge of the position of their staffs, and I cannot see my way during tho epicUnic to force them against their judgment in a matter of such supreme importance as this is."

DEATH FROM INFLUENZA STATEMENT BY HEALTH OFFICER. The District Health Officer (Colonel B. H. Makgill) stated on Saturday that deaths from influenza occurring in a community did not necessarily that tlio disease was especially seven in the locality. Some persons were much more prone than others to be affected by various types of infection which an average person might take in a comparatively mild form. Pneumonia was more infectious than influenza. There were certain forms of pneumonia complications which were move universally severe. Ordinarily a person infected with such organisms would be very ill, but every severe ease of influenza was not due to such harmful organisms. With regard to death, the Department found that many persons were frightened to touch the body or even go near it. This nervousness wns quite unnecessary. After'death from influenza or pneumonia, the organisms of such diseases rapidly ceased to be dangerous. It was, however, necessary for other sanitary .reasons to dispose of the body as quickly as possible. The discolouration of the bodies which had been assumed to 1)6 evidence of the effects of "black plague" or other medieval terrors was merely owing to physical conditions, which were commonly found in the case of death from pneumonia complications in acute fevers. Like measles, influenza was chiefly infectious in the early stage. Tho organisms appeared to vanish after convalescenco had been established; and when the temperature had been normal for several days the sputum and breath were quite free from infection. Special precautions might havo to be taken not so much against, influenza as against organisms which accompanied influenza. Therefore patients who had suffered from complications were treated' with nasal douching before being discharged. "BURN YOUR RUBBISH!" Those people who desire to assist tho authorities all they can during the present crisis are urged to burn their own rubbish. Most people have a copper tire, which makes an excellent homo deftruct'or. If tho rubbish is not readily inflammable a little kerosene will give the required aid, and in a few minutes a cask of objectionable rubbish can bo reduced to innocuous ash. As the Corporation staff is considerably depleted, and tho rubbish-carts cannot cope with the extra work being thrust on them, citizens are advised to establish their own destructors _in tho manner suggested. HYGIENE ON SHIPBOARD In a notification to masters and agents of all vessels in Wellington, Captain A. V. Hale-Monro, Inspector or Wharves and Vessels, says:-"All vessels berthed at the Wellington wharves are required by the Public Health Department to provide, not Inter thon November 25, watertight receptacles, with lids, into which all refuse from galleys, etc., shall bo placed. All refuse deposited in the receptacles must be in a semi-dry condition, so that no.leakage can occur when tho refuse is tipped into a cart, which will call at the vessel at 9 a.m. each day, Sundays excepted. It is most important tint these rubbish receptacles bo placed on the wharves in the proximity of tho vessel not later than 9 a.m., so that no delay will occur when tho cart is collecting tho rubbish." TELEGRAPH STAFF Mr. A. J. Talbol: (superintendent) reported on .Saturday, thnt there was no improvement in the staffs in AVellington under his control. The total number absent from the telegraph 'and telephone staffs was 195, which was only seven less than the maximum list of absentees recorded in any ono day. The public could not expect any of the existing restrictions to be relaxed until th n ro w.is a very marked improvement in tho position in the attendance of stall's for duty both in Wellington aud elsewhere. CRISIS AT LAKE COLERIDGE The influenza epidemic has hit those employed at the Lake Coleridge electrical supply station and their families very severely. Friday night Mr. L. Dirks, tho chief engineer, rang up Christchuvch from the lake to say that the position there was desperate, and that unless something was done speedily the results would be disastrous. A later message received from Lake Coleridge stated that tho total number of cases was twenty-seven, of which live were dangerous, including the two nurses. Of the ten engineers six were ill, find the two linesmen and tho motor driver were down. This meant that nine of the vital stuff were down. The superintendent engineer and Mr. Birks were still well, but wero greatly overworked.