TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 December 1918, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

j il'Elt PKESB ASSOCIATION. COPYIUGHr.) FLUDEMIC AT PAPEETE, j PEOPLE DYING LIKE FLIES. WELLINGTON Dec. 26. The steamer Salvor which arrive! at Wellington on Tuesday from Sai Francisco, called at Papeete in tlv latter part of November. Sho fount all business was at a standstill, owiiq to tho ravages of tho influenza epidemic The natives and French settlers were dying like flics. There wore uu coal lighters or labour available, so tin ; probeni of filing the ship’s bunkers waa difficult one. The captain gave all the ship’s modi cal supplies to the authorities ashore to cope with the epidemic and the whole of the ship’s crew set about attending to the sick and aiding in tho 1 disposal of the dead. I The crew obained coal from a supply yard and wheeled it in trucks a quarter of mile to the place where tlie Salvor was berthed. After a stay lasting 15 days, 190 tons for the ships hunkers wore aboard and tho vessel left for Wellington . As nearly all aboard had suffered from influenza before joining the Salvor tlioy were apparently immune from further attack and came through the experience untroubled. One arrival here the ship had onlyfive tons of coal in her bunkers. COACH ACCIDENT 1 . MASTERTON December 27. The mail eoacli between Masterton and Castle Point mot with an accident on Blairlogio Hill to-day. It met a cart,, which overturned, causing the coach horses to carry tlie coach over the hill. All passengers escaped, excepting J. H. Campbell, manager o: Ica station, who sustained concussion of the brain from which he died. THE MISSING- BARMAID . WELLINGTON December 27. An inquest was hold on the barmaid Jean' Hunter, and a verdict was returnled that death was due to injuries sustained by deceased having jumped on to the roof of Pearson’s Wine otore wliie temporarily insane. RETURNING SOLDIERS. DUNEDIN, Dec. 26. Sir James Allen announces that about j 0,000 troops, mostly sick and wounded are expected in the next three months,, which should clear the English hospitals of sick and wounded New Zealanders. IMPERIAL OFFICERS. DUNEDIN. Dee. 26 Sir James Allen to-day Confirmed the statement that all the Imperial officers working for tho Defence Department, save one or two, will be returning Home. There arc, however, cases where men have been kept from active service by the Department, and m such cases the practice will have to bo relaxed. • PEACE CELEBRATIONS, DUNEDIN, Dec., 26. Sir James Allen stated to-day that several of the larger towns had prepared tentative schemes for the official peace -celebrations, and the Government merely giving a general idea ot their views. So far Cabinet had not considered any scheme.