QUARANTINE STATIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10272, 6 May 1919, Page 5

QUARANTINE STATIONS

THEIR PROGRESS MAY BENEFIT STRANDED NEW ZEALANDERS. Tho Hon. G. Vf. Russell. Ministei for Public Health, stated 'yesterday that the work of extending the quarantine stations was now proceeding as rapidly as possible. There had been somewhat of a delay on account of inability to obtain the number of hutments that was expected from Narrow Neck Camp, but the Public Works Department was now at full-speed- and -all the required labour had been' obtained. As soon as tho efficiency of the quarantine stations was up to the point where a ship's crew and a fair-sized passenger list could be accommodated, it was hoped that it would be possible to resume tho Australian service by allowing bona fide New Zealanders who were in Australia to return to their homes;.

The Government had no power to prohibit, persons iri‘Australia from embarking for New Zealand or to prevent shipping companies from bringing people hero, but the seriousness of the figures given in the newspapers, indicating how widespread is the epidemic in Australia, showed the wisdom of the policy which was being pursued hero. Consequently, if the shipping companies did embark passengers for New Zealand, ns they were legally entitled to do, no guarantee could he given as to when a ship would be admitted to pratique if there were influenza cases on board.

In tho meantime the prohibition of traffic from Australia would continue and persons arriving in New Zealand from Australia would not be allowed to land and would be subjected to indefinite quarantine.