SYDNEY AND THE EPIDEMIC

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 67, 13 December 1918, Page 6

SYDNEY AND THE EPIDEMIC

NEW ZEALAND LETTERS

"QUARANTINED"

HOW THE ARAWA GOT AWAY

Air. John Keith, of Wellington, who returned by the Arawa trom a holiday spent in Australia, has a good deal to suy of interest concerning that closed book—Australia, the epidemic, and tho trials of New Zealunders who were endeavouring to find means of getting home against great edds. Mr. Keith, who was in Australia two months ago, said that daily he used to scan the papers for New Zealand news, with no result. The first Now Zealand item that ho remembered having seon was the news that Siisnnof had won tho New Zealand Cup. Then camo the. epidemic—and. the papers published columns and columns of it. It took precedence of everything else, not only in the papers, but the biggest and blackest letters on the posters referred to the epidemic, and the number of deaths that were occurring, until it had all Now Zenlanders jumping with apprehension, as they knew nothing as to what, was occurring to those nearest and dearest ,to them. The Aloeraki arrived and the Piverina arrived in Sydney, but strange to say no one appeared to be getting any letters. Inquiries were made, and it was found that all letters and newspapers were being quarantined for seven days before being delivered. Then some of them had to resort to cabling to get the assurances they desired, as from the papers it only could be gathered that the population was being pretty well wiped out. There was at once a rush to get back, and the Aloeraki was very quickly booked up, but when it came to sailing day they were informed that the crew would not work the ship back to New Zealand. "We sat on the Union Company's doorstep for a fortnight—dozens of us—waiting and honing to get away," said Arr.' Keith. "They tried to make the men sec reason, but it was no good, Captain Collins laughingly said that he could easily get tt crew, but they wanted .£SO a man for the trip to New Zealand and back. It was a sad sight to seo them taking away thousands of cases of fruit from the Aloeraki at the "Sydney wharf —the fruit that you wanted so badly here. There were a lot of very heartbreaking episodes among the New Zealanders penned up. in Sydney. One day ] met Victor Casey, the Auckland bowler, nnd he had received a cable message advising him of his father's death. I met him again the following day, nnd he had just heard of his brother's death. On the third day I met him his mother was dangerously ill. She died later. Air. Casey was in despair at not being_ able to get away, and at last shipped as purser of the Inga, a steamer which was leaving for Wanganui. We were all very sorry for him, as all bowlers will be. I also met Air. S. Williams, of Taranakl Street, Wellington, soon after he had received the news of the death of his son.

"Where's the Nearest Pawnbroker?" "As time went on and all hart long overstayed their leave, some of w began to run short of money. There one worrying, as it only meant a cablegram to the bank here, but our peace of mind was a little disturbed when we received ncwa that the banks here were closed. Anyhow, we interviewed the Sydney bankers, and they treated us grandly—anything we liked. About this time some of us met Mr. Mitchell (of Mitchell and King, contractors), and I was detailed to put a question to him. 'Where's the nearest pawnbroker?" "Mr. Mitchell looked y up queerly— 'Pawnbroker—what wild 'ye want wi a pawnbroker?' "Oh well, you know we've outstayed our time here owing to the steamers not failing, and we'll have to raise a few shillings to keep going!' "Out came Mitchell's cheque book in an instant—man, it was good to see how kind and generous he wished to be to the stranded Wellinglonians. It all ended in a good laugh."

The Arawa Episode. "Then came Hie Arawa. It became known that sho was leaving for New Zealand with passengers, and down we went to find that word had been received not to take passengers. We hied all wo knew, but without avail. Then we decided, in our despair, to cable tho Prime Minister to see if ho could arrange it, as a message had been received firom him stating, that matters were almost normal over here. We wcro at last able to book by the steamer, and joyfully went up town to cancel our bookings and get a Tefund of our passage money. This ve managed to do, and eventually got our bags down to tho Arawa, glad to be at last on the home track. We had got cur stuff safely on board) when we were appalled to hear that the Arawa's crewhad struck, and there was not tho remotest chance oif the vessel getting away for some time. What could we do in such circumstances? We had to put the best face we could on it. and return to the Union Company's office. There ye asked to be pencilled in on the Moeraki's list again. The clerk at first demurred, so we interviewed the manager, who, realising the position, gave instructions that we TVfli'o to be allowed to rebnok. Twelve of the crew of the Arawa were arrested and brought before the Court that same afternoon, fined or given 28 days' hard labour. They were put in gaol that night, and the next morning were asked whether they were going to do their time 'or go aboard their ship to do their work. They decided to'' go on board and do their duty like men. So once moro we hied to tho Union S.R. Company's office to cancel our bookings, and on we came to Auckland on tho Arawa.

Taking Temperatures, "When we were two days out from Auckland a wireless message was received for the temperatures of all on board to be taken. Dr. Garcia Webster, of Wellington, at once got to work and took the temperatures of those on board. All were, normal. Thore were a. couple of cases of tonsilitis, but nothing to speak of.- What was our amazement, then, on reaching Auckland to learn that we irero being quarantined! We were a clean ship—it was ridiculous!

"In Sydney the authorities nre on the alert to prevent any infection spreading to the city. You know how close the quarantine station is to Manly—only a few hundred yards—and yet they have penned it up there. The New South Wales Government wanted tu shift the ground to Jervis Bay, 70 miles away, but the Federal Government (which controls health matters) would not agree to it. Vessels go so close to those in quarantine that papers and parcels were being thrown on board the vessels nt anehor until the practice was stopped 'by the authorities. Still mistakes were being made there as well as here. Three military officers me said to have come ashore in Wellington from the Medic. When the vessel arrived in quarantine in Sydney she had a hundred cases on board. Instead of placing them on shore, they were allowed to remain on board, with the result that within a week the number of cases had increased to 2tfl. They all declared that these cases aroso through? the three officers coming ashore in Wellington. "The medical authorities of Sydney are pinning their fa«fh to inoculation and inhalation, and chambers wore establish, ed all over the city, and were being rushed by thousands every day."