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Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1918, Page 2

| Wiiat is called the influenza epidemic for the want of a more explicit- generic ! name, is still holding sway th’roughout , the Dominion. Judging by the reports ' published from Wellington, the real complaint appears to take the form of a black plague. It is evident t-liat the epidemic in the severe form in which it is operating in the North Island and some parts of the South Island has not yet reached the Const. It would be well, therefore, for tb e community to continue to act on the defensive, and take all possible precautions to prevent infection,. Throughout yesterday, the town was busy with precautionary mea. sures, disinfecting or causing to he disinfected all parks of the business premises and households. Some hundreds of people passed lyid repassed througji the inhalation room at the Drill Shed. and the wisdom of such is of course apparent. Both the Mayor and the Chairman of the Hospital Board, with the town authorities, were busy doing all they could in directing the people as to methods of self-protection. Tt is to he hoped that the preventive means

taken v/ilj. be continued and that generally the public will take aii possible precautions against contacts which might be risky. Tt is specially necessary that all sanitary precautions should ho taken about residences and business premises,' while the people should keep themselves in tegular health. The poisition throughout the Dominion indicates that there is every reason for the community to he on the alert nnd not leave anything to chance or permit any unfavourable results to arise through neglect to duty to themselves or those about, them.

In there is any doubt about the future of the German possessions in the, Paeiiic Ocean it is well that Mr Massey and Sir J. G. Ward should be at the Peace Table when the details of the peace are drawn up. It has to be remembered that the peace to be made is a peace not only for Europe, but for the whole world. The ocean which laps our shores is named the Pacific, and we wish international relations within its waters to be pacific also. There must be no menace by any possible foe of whom there is any doubt ns to their probity and honour. It does not appear sufficient to say to Germany, “thou shall not,” but, also, to take from her the means of committing any dopredations. The Allies in Europe have ' taken all precautions to prevent the restarting of the war about their neighbourhood and the same escape from a possible peril should be world-wide, j South Afrien.n, Australian and New Zealander have fought gallantly for the safety of Europe and Incidentally for the safety of their own homelands. In- j South Africa much British blood was spilt to save the country from the local German menace. Australian lives were lost in ejecting the Germans from , New Guinea. New Zealanders have

died in maintaining Samoa for the benefit of the Allies. These sacrifices should not go for nought and the prowess of tile Overseas troops on the battlefields of Europe, Asia and Africa, entitle our leading statesmen to be beard with effect at the Peace Table. Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward will have the opportunity, also, of dealing with many post-war matters ■ such as demobilisation shipping, sale of products etc., and the mission can really lie of the highest value to the Dominion. In fact the sooner they reach the heart of the Km. pire the better.