INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1919, Page 5

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

THE EPIDEMIC COMMISSIOBLn, MQttSTER'S DEFENSIVE BTAIB ( MENT. By Telegraph.-—Press Association. Wellington, LMt Night. At the Epidemic Commission, the HanJ G. W. Russell quoted the registered*; deaths of Maoris from influenza, the totat being 1153. Mr. Russell went on to discus* the powers of local authorities van der the law before and after the amend' iiig Act of last year. Hie purpose waito show that municipalities had power to' deal with insanitary conditions, glum 4 areas, and so on. He submitted to thei commission a series of articles which appeared in the Auckland papers, ■bowing that there were dirty slum* in that-city when the epidemic was raging. These ex-, tracts, he said, were the foundation, and he claimed justiCcation, of the takgn&vj which he sent to the Mayor of to which telegram so much exception bad been taken. The chairman reserved in the meani time, the question whether these extract* were adniissable as evidence. The Minfeter then asked whether, in the event of the printed matter being ruled out, the reporters who wrote too matter should be summoned before the commission to give evidence. This, the chairman said, could not be done. As to the control of organisations to flght sickness, there was a difference of opinion between himself and the chief health officer (Dr. Valintine), who thought the best authority to control "was the Hospital Board. This might be «o if the epidemic was of a limited ertent*,but in the event of a visitation like tfcalroT last year, it would be necessary to >«aU in the aid of the local governing bodies to develop proper organisation. Mr. Russell referred" to the good work done by medical men in the fight with the epidemic, IN MELBOURNE. Received March '3, 9.5 p.m. Melbourne, March 13. Six more deaths have occurred from influenza. Sydney, March 13. training camps of citizen forces have been abandoned owing to the prevalent influen/a. A number of people arc voluntarily wearing masks.