INFLUENZA IN SAMOA
CHARGES OF NEGLIGENCE DEPUTATION TO ACTING . PRIME MINISTER A COMMISSION BEING APPOINTED For some little time past news has been leaking through from Samoa concerning the administration of the group in connection, more especially with the recent epidemic of influeuza, which decimated the native population. Yesterday a deputation representing the Congregational Union of New Zealand and its missionary organisation (the London Missionary Society), together with repre* sentatives of the Methodist Missionary Society, waited on tho Acting-Prime Minister (Sir James Allen) with respect to the recent epidemic in Samoa, and submitting to him the following resolution, passed by the Council of the Congregational Union of New Zealand, held recently in Auckland:— "That, having heard by official letters from Samoa of the deplorable lack of precautionary measures to . prevent the introduction of the recent influenza epidemic into the group, and the disasters arising therefrom , whereby some 9000 natives (practically 25 per cent, of the native population) lost their lives, -we enter our strong and indignant protest against the official negligence. We instruct our executive in Wellington to take an early opportunity of laying the facts before the Acting-Prime . Minister, and requesting an immediate investigation into tho matter with a view to fixing the responsibility of the official neglect and dealing adequately with the offender, and, further, urging that such precautionary measures shall be taken as will prevent the possibility of such neglect in the future." The speakers pointed out that one of the effects of the epidemio was to create au unpleasant fedling in the minds of the natives to such an extent that, in the opinion of the missionaries, Uritain had lost more prestige during the one month of the epidemic than had been gained by the four years and a half of the occupation, and it requested the Government to take such steps as would reassure the minds of the natives and remove the unfortunate impression whioh had been created. Tho Minister expressed to the deputation his own deep regret at the heavy mortality in the group, and informed them that a Commission was being appointed to inquire into the matter. The deputation might rest assured that every effort would be taken to prevent a recurrence of such an epidemic at Samoa.
CHARGES OF NEGLIGENCE
DEPUTATION TO ACTING
PRIME MINISTER
A COMMISSION BEING APPOINTED
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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 178, 23 April 1919, Page 6
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387INFLUENZA IN SAMOA Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 178, 23 April 1919, Page 6
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