THE NEW INFLUENZA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5080, 26 January 1927, Page 3

THE NEW INFLUENZA.

NEED FOB PRECAUTIONS.. ALARM IN WELLINGTON. “It is all very well for the Government medical authorities to say that it is not likely that the latest influenza plague will come to New Zealand,” said a prominent citizen to a “Dominion” reporter, “but in view of past experiences I should say that it was more than likely that it will come along in due course, and it beL hov«s the authorities, local as well as Government, to do what lies in their power to prevent the most serious consequences. “With the experience of November, 1918, as a practical guide, it may perhaps be remembered to what source the invasion o¥ that epidemic was allegedly traced, and to take the mos,t rigid precautions in the case o'f vessels arriving from overseas. To bury one’s head in the. sand and say the plague will not come to No,w Zealand is scarcely the way of meeting the threatened trouble, which may or may not be as serious as the 1918 visitation. The matter should be taken in hand at once by local authoritiesf and at least skeleton organisations set up to meet the possible trouble. "This morning’s cable message said that the havoc in Spain was more than in 1918, and if the germ of the disease is air-bora (as, it was generally conceded to be, owing to its appearance in- isolated islands, but seldom visited by vessels of any kind), it 'follows that a recurrence is not only possible but highly probable. “This is. a matter which concerns every local body in the country, and whilst having no intention of raising an a! 1 arm, I believe it is their duty to bring about a thorough cN,ansi ng of the city, a wholesale burning of all accumulated rubbish, and also to institute a vigorous anti-rat campaign. If this were done in February it would reassure many people, particularly in view o*f the fact that assemblies of people will be common throughout the Dominion during the coming visit of the Duke and Duchess of York.” Consulted as to the matter above mentioned, Cr. T. Troup, chairman of the Health Committee of the Wellington City Council, stated that the outlook in Europe certainly appeared to ■— be serious, and he could not, in view df past experiences, accept the assurances of the Government officers that the epidemic would not reach Ne.w Zealand. Indeed, he was inclined to believe from his travels round the world that on the occasion of the. last visitation New Zealand suffered as badly as anywhere. There was to be a meeting of thq Health Committee o'f the. council early next week, when the matter would be considered, and, if it was thought necessary, preventive measures would be taken. Cr. H. D. Bennett, late chairman of the Health Committee, was also of the opinion that it would be wrong tp be unprepared to meet any emergency of the kind. He. could not conceive how anyone could say that this epidemic could not come to New Zea►"Tand, and was of the opinion that they should consult the Government medical authorities, on the matter, ff it were only to safeguard the community from a probable contingency of a serious character.