EMBARGO ON AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 April 1919, Page 2

EMBARGO ON AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING.

POSITION DEFINED BY MINISTER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A statement regarding an amended polity of the Government as to the shipping between Australia and New Zealand was made by the Minister of Public Health to a reporter today. The shippin*; position arising out of the influenza epideniio has received further consideration, said the Minister, and the final decisions come to are as follow: Passenger traffic from Australia to New Zealand shall for the present be prevented as far as possible- Any passenger ships arriving here from Australia with passengers on board will l»e quarantined indefinitely, and passengers will not be allowed to land. As this comes into force from to-day, this decision will apply to the Moeraki, -which is timed to leave Sydney to-morrow with approximately 230 passengers and a crew of 100. It is not intended that cargo steamers shall be interfered with, in view of the fact that New Zealand requires both ccal and wheat from Australia. All cargo vessels will be dealt with as necessity arises upon their arrival- If it is found that disease is on board,' a vessel will be held for such time as may be considered necessary. If, on the other hand, a ship is clean on arrival, pratigue will be granted at the earliest possible moment Vessels 'arriving from oreTEeas, not from Australia, will be considered on their merits, pro- : vided they are not from an infected port, and they have clean bills of health when I leaving the last port of call. These decisions have been come to after most careful consideration. Thd possibility of demands on the available quarantine stations is such that at the present time no risk whatever can be taken. There are coastal steamers, a 'number of which have been found to have influenza cases on board. For the infected crews of these vessels accommodation must be made at the quaranI tire stations.

The waterside workers have, not unnaturally, taken up a strong stand in connection with the working of vessels that have disease on board. The real anxiety of the department is that which arises from the possibility of one or more transports, with large bodies of men on board, arriving in an infected state. We must hold whatever space is available against such a contingency. Consequently, although the Government cannot prevent the shipping companies from bringing passengers from Australia, the Government is determined to indicate that no consideration will be given to passengers who travel in spite of these precautions being taken, if the effect is goini* to be to reduce the accommodation that will be necessary for the returning soldiers. Christchurcli, Last Night.

The Canterbury Chamber of Commerce and kindred bodies wired the Hon. G. W. Biissell protesting that the restrictions imposed on Australian shipping were unduly severe, and asking if cargo could not be handled. Mr. Russell replied: "Position re quarantine is that vessels leaving Australia for New Zealand with passengers on hoard will be indefinitely quarantined, and the passengers will not be allowed to land. In the case of caTgo vessels, they will be considered on their merits on arrival in New Zealand. Tt was never intended that the trade between Australia and New Zealand should be suspended." '