MAKURA QUARANTINED

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 57, 2 December 1918, Page 6

MAKURA QUARANTINED

INFLUENZA ON BOARD MAILS WILL BE BROUGHT ASHORE The Minister of Public Health has received information that the R.M.S. Maknra was quarantined on arrival at Auckland yesterday morning. There had been measles cases on board the ship. Three children had been taken ill before reaching Honolulu; these are now quite well. A fourth case, that of the second officer of the ship, has now recovered. A fifth case was put off at Suva. But since Thursday last live members of the crew reported sick with influenza. Three of them, Dr. Hughes, the District Health Officer, and Dr. Russell, the Port Health Officer, nre satisfied are of the present type of influenza. All five cases have been transferred to Montihi, and the ship has been quarantined at the Motuihi anchorage. All passengers and crew, the Minister states, will be required to pass at least, once a day through a sulphate of zinc inhalation chamber on the ship. All well persons will perform their quanantine on the ship. Any taking sick will be removed to Motitihi island. It is ordered that the mails be taken off on Monday to Motuihi, there to be aired and fumigated, and they will be brought to Auckland in due course for dispatch. Additional accommodation is being propared at Motuihi in case this may be needed. The quarantine period will be seven days at least. A message received in Wellington yesterdny stated that the Makura is anchored 20 miles from Motuihi Island. The authorities have decided to hold the vessel and her passengers in quarantine *for seven days. Those suffering from influenza will be landed at Motuihi. The mails will be fumigated under the supervision of the health officers, and it is possible that some of them will come south by to-morrow's express. The vessel, is clear of measles, and but for the eleventh hour appearance of influenza would have been a clean ship. By Telegraph—Presa Association. Auckland, December 1. The Makura arrived from Vancouver at 7 a.m., anchoring at the quarantine anchorage, where she. was inspected bv Drs. Frengley, Russell (Port Health Officer), and Hughes (District Health Officer). Afterwards t)ie doctors conferred with the Mayor and the Citizens' Committee with respect to the vessel's future movements. It was decided that the vessel be quarantined at Mntuihi for seven days. No further information is available pending an 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 2SOO bags, fumigation will take several \days. Dr. Frengley staled yesterday that there were five cases of measles on the vessel, but they had recovered. The last case was left in hospital at Suva. It. is not known whether the case was or was not a passenger for Suva. i

NO DIVERSION TO WELLINGTON./ In connection with the suggestion that the Makura is not to bo worked in Auckland, the Mayor (Mr, J. P. Luke) has sent the following telegram to the Hon. G. AV. Russell, Minister of Public Health;—" Public here greatly concerned threatened action of Auckland not to work Makura. Respectfully protest against directing ship to Wellington. Urge you exercise exacting safeguards against infection being spread by south-ern-bound passengers, either by rail cr steamer. In reply the Minister of Public Health has sent the following to the Mayor:— "Your telegram this day• receivjd re possibility R.M.S. Makura being diverted to AVellington. No such information has reached me. and I assure you that should such a contingency arise the same precautions will lie exercised as have already been ordered fou Auckland."