THE EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1918, Page 6

THE EPIDEMIC.

SHIPBOARD ACCOMMODATION. RESPONSIBLE FOR INTRODUCTION OF DISEASE. Sydney, Dec. 12. The teamen's Union does not object to members signing on the Manuka and Moeraki, or any other steamer, provided the crew's quarters' are healthy and comfortable. v The New South Wales branch of the union has endorsed a resolution adopted by the Victorian branch, that it considered the accommodation provided for crews on shipboard wholly responsible for the introduction ■ of Spanish influenza into New Zealand, and urging the Federal authorities to take the necessary steps to improve such accommodation. — Au&.-N-Z. Cable Asm*. . i*ofch REINFORCEMENTS'. INQUIRY CONTINUED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Dec. 12. At the inquiry into the'influenza outbreak on thb transport carrying tfw 40th Reinforcements from New Zealand, Colonel Roberts, senior embarkation officer, said that he was not responsible for the food. There was a misunderstanding on the subject of hammocks, but he always corrected defects. In the mattter of spaccß allotted on this trip, the ship's accommodation waa better than on previous voyagea. Major Nutsford said no ■ troop.:) were accommodated in the hold Jiid the numbers in the cabins were reduced. The food supply was unlimited, and the Court of Inquiry at Home found it was quite satisfactory. He marvelled at the fact that those in charge managed to control the disease tti well as they hadA singular fact was tHt the deaths among the cabin occupants* were 1-5 per cent, against 0 per cent in the ordinary troop quarters. The use of hammocks enabled a clear space to fie obtained in the day-time. If bunks had been used tVer® would not have been a man left alive. Colonel Makgill, Assistant of Medical Services, said the two .medical officers on board were fully qualified. Tlicy were the first affected by the out break, yet both worked unremittingly. Th« sister in charge. gave evidence at Home that the troopship arrangements were good, the organisation' efflcient, and the food good. Witness, replying to ft question, said the disease was practically the same as affected New Zealand. The infection came from another ship in the eonvoy which had qomc from Europe- There was no evidence that it came from the jliore. The inquiry was adjourned.

CASE OF ORPHAXEt) CHILDREN. DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER. Wellington, Doc. 11 A deputation from the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board interviewed the Hon- G. W. Russell, Minister for Public Health, regarding the cars of -hildrsn orphaned bv tlie influenza epidemic. The chairman (Mr. "Baldwin) said thai so far there had been .'information that m children in the district- had lost father or mother or both,' and a few more cases were yet to :be reported. Mr. Russell said he could not see how the Government could differentiate in favor of children orphaned 'by the epidemic, as against those who had lost their parents by some other disaster. The question w.l only another phase oi •the problem that was always with lis. There must be a clear line of demarcation between the responsibilities of the Education and Health Departments. There was a strong feeling in favor of these children beinsr placed under adoption. and he thought applications should be son "lit from country hopple prepared to adopt, children. The Government should pav them an amount enual to the cost of the maintenance of the childron in an institution. The children would thus get the advantage -of a healthy home life.