INFLUENZA.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1919, Page 5

INFLUENZA.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND SAMOAN OUTBREAK. • By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington,' Aug. 25. In connection with the epidemic of influenza in Samoa last year and the subsequent report of the commission thereon alleging that either the Defence Department or the Health Department had been guilty of negligence in not informing Samoa of the outbreak'in New Zealand, the Hon. G. W. Russell says: "I desire to state that the Health Department accepts no responsibility for the outbreak of influenza in Samoa. This Department has. never been in any way associated with Samoa, which has been the Defence Department's responsibility throughout. Neither, as far m I am aware, does the Health Department accept responsibility as to the health of passengers and crews on jutgoing vessels." In reference to the Talune, which carried the disease to the Islands, Mr. Russell points out that when the vessel left Auckland influenza was not a notifiable disease.

STATEMENT BY SIR J'S. ALLEN. Wellington, Last Night. With reference to the Samoan epidemic and the responsibility for adding Samoa of the prevalence of influenza in New Zealand, Sir Jas. Allen stated to-day that, though the Public Health Department may not have been, under the regulations prevailing at the time of the epidemic, directly responsible for communicating a warning to Samoa, an arrangement had since been made.for them to do so. In any reorganisation it seemed essential that such notifications should be made by the Department of Public Health. This applied not only to Samoa, but to the whole system of Vorld-wide notification of the prevalence of infectious diseases.