THE NIAGARA BUNGLE.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 24 April 1919, Page 3

THE NIAGARA BUNGLE.

After keeping the unfortunate Niagara passengers — such of them as had not contracted influenza, that is — cooped up aboard the vessel —an infected ship—for days together, during which time several fresh cases developed, the Health authorities did what they obviously should have done in the first instance, that was they landed all passengers at Motuihi, leaving only afew members of the crew aboard the vessel to do such work as was absolutely necessary. Before this course was decided upon Mayor Gunson had calltd attention, in that forcible way of his, to the matter, "There are," 'he said, " about 120 New Zealand passengers on the Niagara, and clearly the- most sensible thing would have been to remove these to the Island as soon as steamer dropped anchor. On behalf of the community, I must again protest against these inefficient conditions and the exposure of a number of our own citizens to the risk of infection while confined on a vessel on which sickness is developing daily." The plain fact of the matter is that the Public Health Department is utterly inefficient, and, to quote Mr Gunson again, " unless an improvement can be effected in the present system, it may be necessary for quarantine work, the responsibility for examination of vessels, and general care of the health of the Port to be placed under a separate administration." The sooner the better say I.