INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1919, Page 6

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

NIAGARA CASES INCREASING. PASSENGERS TO BE QUARANTINED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, April 5. At a watersiders' meeting a resolution was carried not to work the Niagara until seven days after the last ease of influenza, and to ask the authorities not to berth the vessel earlier. Foup- additional cases ol\ influenza (stewards) have been lauded from the Niagara. Auckland, Last Night. Influenza on the Niagara has been rapidly increasing, and nine more cases were landed yesterday. To-day four more were taken ashore, making 39 cases in all. Major Pettit states that the condition pi the patients is satisfactory. It is understood that .the passengers are being landed from the Niagara this afternoon. They will be quarantined at the quarantine station. A SUSPECT ON THE MANUKA. Wellington, Last Night. The steward on the Manuka, who was siok and had a somewhat high temperature, was taken to the hospital on Friday for observation. The watersiders engaged discharging the vessel's cargo learned of the matter this afternoon, and immediately stopped work. The condition of the steward is unchanged, according to the latest report.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S ACTION. STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. Wellington, April 5. The Hon. G W. Russell states as more eases of influenza on the Niagara arp reported it has been decided that all members of the crew /who can he removed from the ship are to he )v\' ashore on Molt, hi Island, also that i whole of the New Zealand passengo, and lis manv of the other passengers as accommodation can be provided for. will b>? put on the island. The remaining piusengers will be required to go to the island every morning and return to the ship for their evening meal and sleeping accommodation. Instruction* have also been given that members of the crew remaining on the ship are to be grouped and given increased accommodation. If necessary accommodation for second-class passengers and even fiM-class passengers will be commandeered for that purpose. The position in regard to the Niagara will depend to some extent upon whether the Westmoreland with Maori troops on board is declared a clean ship on her arrival. Wireless messages indicate that she is so at present, but no definite conclusion can be come to until the health officers inspect the crew and passengers on arrival at Auckland. The above information ennvevs the decision of the Chief IHcaltih Officer, which was sutmitted to the Minister and approved by him The Minister added that the fact that as on this occasion and on a previous occasion in October the disease was confined almost exclusively to the quarters occupied by the crew indicates that this was the "danger part" of the ship. The health officers have been instructed that very careful inquiry must be made as to the accommodation provided for the crew, Rnd if necessary the assistance of the Marine Department is to be sought in order that a definite decision on scientific grounds may be obtained whether the accommodation provided is adequate in view of the fact that epidemics are in the air. Later in the afternoon Mr Russell stated that a telegram had been received from Auckland indicating that nine more case 9 of influenza had occurred on the Niagara, making a total of 30. NO PLAGUE GERM FOUND. Christchurch, Last NightDr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist at Christchurch hospital; in a lecture last night on the influenza, stated that no bacteriological examination had shown the presence of the plague germ, and it was certainly not plague. It was not the same type of disease as the great plague (the black death) of the fourteenth century. If there were a recrudescence of the disease this winter he thought it would be in a milder form, though it might get more widespread. SYDNEY CHURCH SERVICES CURTAILED. Sydney, April 5. A regulation has been issued limiting church services to forty-five minutes.