SICKNESS ON TRANSPORTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1918, Page 5

SICKNESS ON TRANSPORTS.

CAUSE OP INFECTION. ■FROM A CRUISEP. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister for Defence has received a, further advice concerning the epidemic which caused the death of many men i< t the 40th Heinforcements on the voyage to England- » Sir James Allen stated this evening that he had received a cable from (Jen. eral Richardson, commanding the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in tie United Kingdom, in -which General Richnrdson reported that a Court of Inquiry was being held into the matter, lint ' aa investigation was not yet complete the findings of the Court were not ava&» nble. He hoped to be able to report In ■, 4 few days. . The Minister added: "It appears from , this preliminary account which has cone to me, hut which is not the official report, that the infection did not com# ' , from the vessel visiting the last port of pall, -which I have previously mentioned. '; The infection arose subsequently to that, and not on account of the men having landed there. It seems to have cope from a cruiser which "was accompaayiag < ' the convoy, The sickness -was not <SSW» fined to our men, for all the transports m the convoy, except one, had had a large number of deaths. General Riehardson thinks the evidence will show , that the ship was not overcrowded. '"TTp to date, 74 deaths have 'been ii reported, OS men having died 6t eea and nix ashore. There are still 150 fa hwipi* . •,» tal, two of whom arc rtanserously 111' The-others are all doing well, and likely to recover The sickness is rapidly diminishing, and the men are now chewy and thev are being well looked after, fienerftl "Richardson is granting them all special leave immediately they are free from infection. - v "Oenerat Richardson telegraphs that ■' the "Mew Zealand Expeditionary F<fS|,|| in the United Kingdom wish to convey their deepest svmnathv to the relatives of the deceased. I have telegraphed to ; neutral Riehnrdson asking him tofe Teport the names of those dangerously ill and to keep us advised of the ' gerem or serious eases." I