SMALLPOX IN AUCKLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 5, 6 June 1913, Page 5

SMALLPOX IN AUCKLAND.

MAORI FOOTBALLER STRICKEN. Per Press Association. Auckland, Thursday. A half-caste Maori, living at Onehunga, is stated to be affected; with smallpox and has been removed to the isolation ward at Point Chevalier. The local health authorities state that there is an element of doubt whether the case is smallpox. This will be cleared up in a day or two, meantime ■ every precaution is being taken to prevent the spread of the disease.

The Maori isolated on suspicion- of smallpox is Rukutai, the well-known international footballer.

There is little room for doubt that Rukutai's is a true case of smallpox. He lias not been out of Auckland since he returned from the football tour to Australia nearly twelve months ago. In view of the recent outbreak o fa suspicious sickness among Maoris in the Whangarei district an inquiry has been made, but it failed in establishing any possible connection between the Maoris there, who were eventually announced to be suffering from chicken pox, and Rukutai's case.