INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1919, Page 5

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

SYDNEY PRECAUTIONS. Received March 20,11.30 p.m. Sydney, March 2(i. Cabinet has decided to postpone the Royal Agricultural Show, owing to the increase in influenza. The races bo fa> ;;re unaffected. Masking in trani3 and trains will be compulsory from Friday. OFFICIAL WEEKLY REPORTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. The following wivkiy report of influenza oaws is furnished by the Hon. G. W. Russell: Kaipara 1, mild; Wbangarei 2, severe; Auckland 1, severe and 12 mild; Waikato 1, severe; Ccok Country 1, pneumonia; Waipawa 2, mild; Stratford 9, mild; Hawcra 1, pneumonia: Wangamii 3, mild; Paltnerston North 2, wild; North Canterbury 2, mtld and 1 unstated,- South Canterbury 1, severe. Total 40. against 27 for the previous week, but the severe cases show a marked reduction, the total last week being 14 During the week, acocrding to advice received, no cases had been reported in Fiji, -EVIDENCE AT THE COMMISSION, Ohristchurch, Last Night. At the Influenza Commission, afternoon sitting, Mr Kervey, secretary of the Automobile Association, said there was a considerable amount of overlapping in motor oar work during the epidemic, and though! there should be authority to commandoor anv car or van. Sir J. Denniston: It's all eomifrg back to my original susgesfion that the next time there is such an epidemic a dictator should he appointedMr II Holland, Mavor of Christchurch said he knew of no overlapping 'vv medical men during the epidemic after the doctors had adopted the block system. He thought the 1 Health Department committed a very serious error of judgment in not isolating Auckland when the epidemic attained such proportions there. Had carnival week been stopped, or had Auckland been isr> Inted, he considered the disease would not have- spread ai! over ths South Island. Sir J Denniston pointed out that at that time influenza was not a nol'fla'ole disease It would not be fair to blame the department if the legislature were at fault. Mr M. T. Gresson, barrister, said that during the epidemic Dr. Chesson. district health officer, was endeavorine to do th.» work of five or ten men. He thought power «hou!d he given to health officers to gather together a committee of business men, etc., to assist there in time of epidemics. Mr 11. R. Smith, town clerk, said the eitv council could do practically everything with regard to cemetery and burial except to convey the bodies from the deceased's house to the cemetery. Durin<? the recent, epidemic manv bodies were lying nnbnried and uncoffmed. and undertake" were una'ble to overtake, the work. The city then undertook the bnrvinfr of the bodies, though it had no power to do so The result was that burials took place at a very cheap rate.