EPIDEMIC COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1919, Page 4

EPIDEMIC COMMISSION.

THE NIAGARA. WAS THE VESSEL RESPONSIBLE;, By Telegraph.—Proas Association. Auckland, March 3. Mr George Davis, in company with numibcr-. of tho Epidemic Commission, visited various localities where tlio working classes reside. 'He riaid that the class of houses seen was tlie wprat that could l)e found in Auckland. Dr. Hughes, on being recalled, said that theru was no evidence that the spread of the disease was due to passengers from the Niagara, as there was no doubt that influenza wan very prevalent in Auckland before the Niagara arrived, and that cases were quickly increasing both in number and severity during September and the beginning of October. Many cases were similar to the cases orv the Niagara: chest complications were reported in a certain number of cases, lie was of the opinion that the epidemic would have occurred apart from the Niagara. The ship's arrival probably aggra« vated the epidemic. Influenza on tho Niagara was not of the highly infections ,- type of the epidemic in November.—; Aus.-NZ. Cable Assn. Auckland, Last Night. Before the epidemic commission, Dr. T. J. F. Hughes, recalled, put in further evidence regarding the prevalence of influenza in various districts prior to the arrival of the Niagara. There was no evidence that tho spread of the disease was due to passengers from the Niagara. Some of the mailmen who went on board did not contract the disease. There was no doubt that influenza was very prevalent in Auckland for some time before the arrival of the Niagara, and, that cases were quickly increasing, both in number and severity. During September and the beginning of October many cases had occurred in Auckland similar to tho cases on the Niagara, and chart complications were reported in a certain number of cases. Cold and wet weather always tended to increase the severity ' of influenza attacks, and to predispose to pneumonic complications. During October these wet and cold conditions existed in Auckland, there being 8.08 inches of rain for the month. He was of opinion that the disease was in New Zealand before the arrival of the Nlai gara, that the epidemic would have oc« curred apart from the Niagara, and thai the ship's arrival probably aggravated! the epidemic, although there was no* direct evidence to prove this. Apart from the cases of sickness which occurred among the hospital nurses engaged in nursing patients from the Niagara, the influenza on the Niagara was not oLthe high infectious type experienced in November. Replying to a question, he said instances had occurred where in the administration of his work his instructions to local authorities had only been carried out after considerable delay. On the other hand he mentioned a case where tho local authority had asked him to condemn four houses. After inspection, however, he decided that he could only condemn one. H. D. Heather, chairman of the Auckland Harbor Board, said the board had received instructions from the Health Department with reference to th« admission of overseas ships to harbor. Up to the time of the epidemic the harbormaster would bring the vessel into the harbor to await the visit of the medical officer. At times the vessels were brought alongside before they were boarded. When Dr. Valintine arrived in Auckland during the epidemic the vessels were ordered to wait oc the north head instead of in the stream. The board received wireless information that influ- » enza was on board the Niagara, and the harbormaster asked the Health Department a number of times whether he should allow the vessel to come alongside. When she came in she was allowed to berth accordiug to instructions from the Department. It had been stated that the board had power to remove the vessel, but this was not so. The board had no power to remove the vessel except in such an event as the outbreak of fire C. T. Haynes, chief sanitary inspector, gave further evidence regarding the inspection of houses. Ho mentioned that an apartment house, in regard to which evidence had been given by another witness, consisted of 15 rooms and five kitchenettes, occupied by ten adults and ten children. The reports from the inspectors showed that the premises were kept clean and complied in every respect with the city by-laws. In order to obtain an estimate of the number of poorer class houses which might be considered overcrowded he had had an analysis made of 220 such houses. Taking 'into consideration the size of the rooms and the number of occupants, he was of opinion that overcrowding did occur in five per cent. He pointed out that the amoujit of cubic nir space in some of the houses mentioned was not insufficient according <■:> the model by-laws of the English Local Government Board, and that no standard for this had been fixed in New Zealand.