A DREADED DISEASE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 567, 14 May 1913, Page 5

A DREADED DISEASE.

SMALL POX DIAGNOSED. Something of a sensation was caused at Whang »rei on Saturday evening in consequence of Dr Ventry Smith diagnosing a dißease, from which two Maoriß were suffering, was snv-.1l pox. The two afflicted Maoris and toos9 who had driven in with them were immediately put back in their trap and ordered to pn?eed to the hospital. It is stated that ihey drove to the back of the hospital and entered the kitchen. The authorities had been apprised by telephone of the nature of the cases, and the Maoris were ordered to drive round to the main entrance and go to the isolation ward, which is situated in the front of the hospital grounds, Shortly after the matron proceeded to the ward to make preparations for the patients, but the natives did not appear.

The natives had evidently become thoroughly frightened, and instead of driving to the isolation ward, started back for the Mangakahia. On being questioned, some natives stated that the disease broke out at a hui, at which there were present about 40 natives, and that one of the Morman elders, who had recently arrived from America, was the first to develop the complaint. They stated that he informed the Maoris that it Was not infectious, and could easily be cured by simple remedies. The officer of the Health Depart ment and the police on Saturday night fumigated the room in the boardinghouse in which the natives had rested while waiting for the doctor. Every precaution has been taken in case, on further examination, Dr Ventry Smith's diagnosis proves to be correct. The matter is now being investigated by the Health Authorities.

The old grievance of shortage of trucks on the railway is apparently as much of a stock complaint in the South as in the North Island. In reply to a deputation at Lyttelton on Friday last the Hon. Mr Herriea, Minister for Railways, said he was well acquainted with the complaint, but he was not satisfied that the shortage was one of trucks, for New Zealand had the greatest number of trucks per mile of any of the Australasian States. He was looking into the question of whether a better sy3tem of distributing and using the available trucks would not meet the case. At holiday times there must be a shortage of trucks, for it would be folly for any Minister to keep car stock lying idle for races and shows, and trucks had to be used. Whether these trucks could be brought in and put out again more expeditiously he was not prepared to say, but hj« would go very