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Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1919, Page 4

FAILURE OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT Protests aro being made in several parts of New Zealand.concerning the delay in the completion of arrangements for the relief of persons who have been left in embarrassed circumstances by the death of bread-winners during the late epidemic. Parliament made a grant of j liey for the relief of such people, but it does not appear that any of the money has yet been spent The Minister for Public Health (Hon. G Yv. Russell) i 3 .it present on holiday u> the north, and apparently nothing can be done until his return to Wellington. The Epidemic Commission cannot begin its work until #a_orfer of reference. Mid

tTiis matter also is awaiting the return of the Minister for Public Health. The Minister and Department cannot be complimented on the way they have acted in connection with the epidemic. In the first place if the Department liod been alive to its duty, the scourge would have been 'kept out of New Zealand. The Minister has sought to show ■that tho visitation was inevitable, and has told a code and bull story of a light-house keeper somewhere in America contracting the disease although he had been. isolated for eight months. It has been established beyond all doubt that the disease is only communicable by contact with a sufferer or carrier, and that quarantine is lan effective bar to its spread. The Department's laxity 'and failure cannot be denounced too strongly. It did practically nothing to keep out the disease, though from 1 the cabled'accounts of its rapid spread "and ravages in other countries the Department might have been expected to , take prompt and effective action in re-i gard to incoming ships. The Department, which had for years past coat the country a lot of money, here had an opportunity of making good and justifying its cost and existence, but it failed tragically. Wholly inadequate as were the precautions in.New Zealand, the neglect shown afterwards almost passes belief. The Talune was allowed to go into Apia with tho disease raging aboard, in spite of which, however, the vessel was granted pratique, and people from ship and shore commingled as they chose. Within four days the disease was all over tho island, and out o£ its small population it is estimated that 9000 died who should have been alive to-day. At Tutuila., tho principal island of the American group, Governor Payer imposed strict isolation for the boat, with the result that the disease was kept out oi there as it has been out of Australia. The New Zealand authorities have much to answer for. But for their unpardonable laxity, many, thousands of our best manhood and womanhood in this country and tho islands would have been alive to-day, and hundreds of thousands of pounds Eaved. Their chief aim seemed to have been to avoid at any cost interference with shipping and trade. It has been a sorry business, and the procrastination and muddling, it would seero, are not ended yet. The Minister who has tho power must accept the responsibility In the light of recent events the public can. have little confidence ei;li r in the Minister or the Health Dept.;; ment.