AN ANGRY MINISTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1918, Page 2

AN ANGRY MINISTER.

EON. G. W. RUSSELL AND THE MAYOR OP AUCKLAND.

BERTHING OF THE MAiKURA.

By Telegraph.—Pres« Aaseciatio*.

Wellington, Nov. 30.

The Minister of Public Health (tihe Hon. G. W. Russell) has sent the following reply lo Mr Gunson, Mayor of Auckland: —"The statement I made (that measles was prevalent in Auckland) will not be contradicted by me, nor will any assertions made by you in opposition to the information I received.

"It appears to me that by endeavoring to inflame the people of Auckland against the Public Health Department you aro seeking to distract public attention from t'iie revolting conditions which have been proved to exist in your city. As Minister lam acting on the advice of experienced scientific men, which I prefer to that received from you. "The papers here quote you as saying: 'lf the Minister will not protect this community it will become my duty as Mayor to take adequate steps to afford tlhe protection which is due." 1 "Well, go and do it now; clean up the filthy slums and disease-breeding places of your city. There lies your opportunity.! Please also remember that you must obey the law and set an example., if you choose to take matters into your own haads and defy the law you will find that I, as Minister, will carry out my responsibilities to the 1 letter without fear."

MEASLES DECLARED INFECTIOUS DISEASE- • ,

Replying to a telegram from tlhe Auckland Citizens' Committee the Hon. G. W Russell says: "I will not allow the Mayor or committee to act as they choose if they contravene the, law. In order to protect Auckland from measles certain steps have been taken, in which the Government haa not been influenced •by t!he. agitation get on foot by. the Mayor. Measles has been declared an infectious disease ,and arrangements made to deal with those affected and, if necessary, to quarantine the steamer at Motuihi."

MAYOR TO MIN-ISTO

AUCKLAND INDIGNANT,

MINISTER CALLED UPON TO APOLOGISE.

Auckland, Nov. 30,

~ At a special meeting of the City Council, at which a number of citizens were present, including the Hospital Board, resolutions Were passed as follow: " We desire to protest in the strongest manner against the most unwarrantable attack on the Mayor of Auckland by. the Minister of Health as published in the morning papers.. We unhesitatingly say that the Mayor has, in the £aee of very serious .difficulties, had only one duty before him—namely, the preservation of the health of the community and the strengthening of the handa of Dr- Frenglev against thy interference of the Minister, when the officer took such steps as ho considered necessary to protect the inhabitants of the city and districts. We regret that the Minister, in his telegram to the Mayor, evidently forgot he wis a Minister of the Crown by the nature c(f the language lie used, which, was unwdirthv of a Cabinet Minister- We protest against the unfounded charges aa'ainst tlie. Mayor and the corporation against the alleged civic neglect, incompetence, and mismanagement, leading to deaths of a large number of citizens. We believe we are speaking the minds of 'Hie whole of the population when wo say that his Worship's reputation for ability and devotion to duty stands verv liigli in this city and the province. We desire tn record our unabated confidence in the Mayor, and endorse his actions to prevent the berthing of the Makura, if she is an infected ship, and we demand the withdrawal of the telegram .by the Minister, or, if not. that. Parliament set nn a Commission to inquire into the truth of the charges made by the Minister.

After the meeting, three members of the Hospital Tioard. waited on Mr. Heather, chairman of the 'Harbor Board, who is indisposed, requesting that in the event of any sickness at all on the Malum. that the ship bs not berthed by the harbor officers. The chairman awed, and instructed the harbormaster that if the ship 'be found to have sickness on board she will not be berthed in any circumstances.

ARRIVAL OF MAKURA.

SEVEN DAYS' QUARANTINE,

lIAILS TO BE FUMIGATED,

Aucklaud, Last Night. The Makura arrived from Vancouver at 7 a.m., anchoring in the quarantine anchorage, where she was inspected by Dr. Frengley and Dr. .Russell (port health officer), and Mr. Hughes (district healt'ih officer). Afterwards they conferred with the Mayor and Citizens' Committee with respect to the vessel's future movements, and decided that the vessel must be quarantined at Motuihi for seven days. No further information is available, pending the official statement by Dr. Frengley,

The Mayor states that the Citizens' Committee is satisfied with Dr, Frengley's arrangements,

As the Makura's mails total 2000 bags the fumigation will take several days. Dr. Frengley stated yesterday that there was no case of influenza on board, but there were five cases of measles, which had recovered, the last Cftse being left in t'he hospital at Suva, He did not know whether the case was or was not a passenger for Suva,