CREATING A LEPER STATION.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 8, Issue 28, 5 April 1907, Page 4

CREATING A LEPER STATION.

1 A SHAMEFUL DECISION. A Wellington correspondent writes to us as follows :—" Great excitement has arisen in Wellington and up the Mauawatu line in connection with the proposal of the Government to make the island of Kapiti a leper settlement. No one can conceive how such a monstrous idea can have been allowed to mature and cast so horrible a stigma upon the colony's reputation. To have such a loathsome settlement paraded before the public \vh) travel daily up and down the main trunk line of railway or oil the steamers that are continually passing through the Straits, would convey the idea that the colony was cursed with this dreadful pestilence to an alarming degree; wh Teas there are only three known cases in the whole of New Zealand. A local illustrated journal prints an amusing skit on the subject, and states that most people would believe the proposal to be a ghastly Ministerial jest instead of a decision of the Cabinet. The marvel is that the Hon. George Fowlds, Acting-Minister for Health, seems to think no better place could be selected than the beautiful island of Kapiti. The Hon. C.H. Mil's has interviewed all the members of the Cabinet, and has pointed out what a monstrous ioicjuity it would be to convert an island in such a prominent position (and which was reservedaa a sanctuary for the fauna aud flora of the colony) tu such evil purposes. It is hoped that the good sense of the Government will reverse such a monstrous Departmental decision."