IN NORTH TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1918, Page 8

IN NORTH TARANAKI.

THE INFLUENZA OUTBREAK.

->SW PLYMOUTH COMMUTES MEN'S VISIT

iloprescntatives from the L'ow i'lymouth Committee left New Plymouth yesterday 1 afternoon, -with tl>e iatcntioa of meeting Messrs W. J. R. Avery (Awakir.o), H. Maine (Mokats), 'and Rattenbury (Tongaporutu) on the north side of Mou?.t Messenger, to discuss measures to cornbafc tlis epidemic ia those districts- The weather, however, took a hand, and the state of the road was sach that thsv were only able to proceed about 100 yards beyond tb.«i met;?,!, two or three milea this side o'c the 'Momlain. The;? met Mr Uigg (Government overseer), who was -essaying a passage per gig, ,md ha undertook to deliver the literature to aIJ tfcft districts beyond., ",£■ plainirjfr the means to ha adopted to oops with the trouble shovJJ it Inf. tlio district, They had since got in touch with Tongaponitu aaA Molsaa o« tb» 'piiirae, and the report is as follows:— 1 Tongiporutu (covering 0);a;i, Tvotare, and Kcrekapa).—There is as yet nothing at all serious in these districts, and the few that have had She disease Isav® b.wl it .in <1 mild form. Mr. Cattwbwy is alive to the dancer, and will o.l; otim arrange for ft local organisation &fld tha patrolling of tho district. l"f the epidemic shows any signs of tftkine a hold, he will' requisition for the establishment' of a temporary hospital. 'He has been, asked to endeavor to get .some V A.D.'s for. nursing work, and ; to send thorn into .New Plymouth /for training. Further supplies of medicine and. thermometer j are going on? this morning. Moteiu.—Mr. Maine reports that while the disease has been present in a more or less Prions form" in very isolated instances for some time, at present there are only very slight eases in the district- La st, evening a. letter reached the township per launch from up the river, renortin"- two cases and asking for medicine There are SO neoplo up the river cut off from telephone communication with the outside districts. A special launch was froing up the river first thing in tho moraijie to look up. if possible, all residents of this isolated district. All necessary printed advice and organising literature has l>een sent to Mr. Maine, and medicine nnd thermometers went out vesterdav morning.

Awakinn. —Thev were unable to ,nrct in touch with Awakino per 'Dhone last

night. Thermometers and medicine went out yesterday morning. Mr- Maine was to confer with Mr. Avery at Awakino regarding mutual co-opepation, l?or the foregoing three districts they recommended that the two M.A.'s he sent out to-day to assist the local organisation, in prescribing for patients and in assessing the probable requirements and whether or not a hospital need to established in the district.

!At Uruti they I'isited the local cottage hospital, where the medical assistant is doing srreat work'. His presence in'the district where the epidemic has a good ho!d has "been invaluable. At Mimi four motor-cars ■were sent in to Tito's per New Plymouth ambulance last night. One car, nnd probably another, will be brought in from Uruti cottage hospital to New Plymouth Hospital this (Thursday) raornfeg. The chairman of the committee is Mr. Muslter, Another medical assistant visited TJruti vested day, and the chief M.A. will go to tlruti to confer with the M.A. there. More medicine and asnerin should be sent again to-day to this hospital-

TJrenui. —The committee's report continued:—Messrs Piggott and Barnett and Mis.i Cattioy are daily patrolling this find surrounding districts, and report that tba disease is in a very mild form there.

Waitara.-—We called at the Waitara Hospital on the way home to discuss the question of better co-operation with us in the ajatte? of ambulance work. Wo had endeavored to get Waitara tovsend their ambulance to Mini! to takS the before-mcntioped four Maori cases to the Waitara Hospital. There we r.o beds available there, taS their s,mbulaKe£Nvas apparently cot available, co tl;e.-.Kcw Plymouth ambulance had. to wiilie the Ioti" journey late in the afternoon. )t •would be a great improvement if Waitara oould provide another ambtflraiei to brins eases from north of the Waitara Rivsr in as far as Waitara, «rfie?e' one of our arobatewbrt e'ouW. aieefc-iTsefflSi Asotin* matter ttai msfrbo dealt with to-day .is th*6 .ot, tat for' Maoris at Waiia«i/t The -present* building of St John's Hall is full up, and lh? oonvaJeawiit hospital adjoiaing (tbo. Fovestm" is about full. W* recommend that Dr. Walker be asked to authorise tt.e opening <st 'the'- Wsitara-V-jblic School or the Tw.hwiea! School as a'ooawtescsnt hospital..-.(PJiie jwnld ea•abfe*th« Foresters' .Hftll4t> J» used as a hospital .proper. It will .snake for cfficierst -control, »o the briilftiliSF arc practically adjoining.' We will have to assist in ' procuring blankets and" bedding it is decided to-day to open the -Bujfee&ted additional hospital. It cannot bo expected that people should jrovide good beddino; from their home 3 for this particular class of institution.