CALLING SCENES.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1919, Page 6

CALLING SCENES.

mnxmzA at tee islands. NATIVES' TERRIBLE SUFFERING. Further particulars of the ravages of influenza at the Islands were brought by the steamer Talunc, v/nicb arrived in Auckland the other day Wih the arrival of the Talune at Samoa came tidings of the ravages of the epidemic in New Zealand and elsewhere. Immediately after the vessel'* departure for Auckland tlia pestilence broke out in the group and spread with alarming rapidity, and in a very short space of time it had spread 'throughout the whole of the Islando.

One of the places where ravages of the, epidemic were early apparent was the populous village of Vaimoao. 'On inspection at this village an appalling state of affairs was disclosed. Every house was closed up with maU, and inside, in gloom, the Buffering of the inmates was pitiable to behold. Some lay writhing on the ground. Soma were found covered with mats, sweltering in agony beneath the covering, while others lay in silence. Here and there a sheet of tapa cloth covered a form recumbent and still indicating only too well that the fell disease Lad finished its wcrk.

From then on the epidemic spread like wildfire, the natives ibeing struck with the disease and retiring to their homes to die. It was no unecmraon sight, a passenger stated, to enter a house which was closed down all round and find the whole of the inhabitants lying dead In some cases several of the occupants had died some days previously, and those who survived were found clustered round the dead occupants, taking what they could find. la many a house entered the occupants were past all help, and the walls were closed to await the arrival of the dead cart, which passed through the streets, : stopping at the huts to pick up the dead. Bad as conditions were, they were worse in other places, and it was at such p]aces that medical attention was most urgently required- Owing to the fact that only four doctors were in attendance in the whole group, rt was found utterly impossible to adequateely cope with the epidemic, which had by now gained a strong hold throughout the Islands. Although plenty of drugs were available, great difficulty was experienced in dispensing them, and in the majority of cases it was found that they would not be required, the sufferers then being past all medical aid. Dr Appleby paid a great tribute to the work of the garrison, who, although suffering severely from the epidemic themselves, rendered heroic service in tending {he eick and assisting with the (burials. At first the greater part of th& garrison (ten of whom succumbed) were incapacitated through illness, but all who were able came forward as volunteers, and one and all (officers and men alike), inspired by the splendid example of the officer commanding (Captain Richardson) worked with a will) which is beyond all praise. In a situation wheTe practically every native in the locality was sick and helpless it was found necessary not only to provide the more necessitous* with food, but to take it to their homes. Every morning largo quantities of rice were boiled and soup prepared at tho barracks, and then distributed by motor-car or other conveyance, where most needed. Besides this relief in the immediate neighborhood, boat loads of foodstuffs were sent around tho coast and across the straits to Manono, Apolima, and Savavaii. Had it not ibeen for this relief work it is certain that large numbers of the afflicted would have perislred from sheer starvation.

A more gruesome, but equally import'ant task, devolving upon tho staff-work-ing at the barracks, was the collection of the dead, for in circumstances where nearly all the natives were helpless it wa3 found impossible for them to do what was needed themselves. From first to last interments at Vaimea totalled 400, the heaviest total for any single day being on November 23, when over 70 burials took place; In the Tongan group alone tho deathroll is stated at between 1500 and 2000. At Samoa the death-roll was stated to be 8000. It was at the latter place that the death of the Dowager Queen took place, while Governor Maiakafa also fell a victim.

When the Talune left, Suva wag practically a clean port, while over the surrounding islands the epidemic had subsided and conditions were rapidly becoming normal. A sad feature of the visitation is the lnige number of orphaned and homeless sMdrw, 1