Tour Postponed

N.Z. Governor’s Tour Postponed Outbreak Of Measles At Rarotonga

From Our Own Correspondent.

Auckland, July 8.

REPORTS of an outbreak of measles at Rarotonga, Cook Group, re sulted in the postponement 24 hours be fore her scheduled time of departure of H.M.S. “Leander” which was to carry the Governor-General of New Zealand (Viscount Galway) and Lady Galway on their first official visit to Samoa, Niue, and the Cook Islands.

The postponement of the “Leander’s” cruse, which is now unlikely to commence for at least four or five weeks, followed receipt of advice from the N.Z. Inter nal Affairs Department that two cases of measles had been reported in Raro tonga on July 2, and that a further 11 cases had since been reported. It was stated that all schools had been closed and that every effort was being made to prevent the infection from spreading to other islands in the group.

At present measles are prevalent in New Zealand and it is considered that the Rarotonga outbreak probably had its origin here, being carried by the “Matua”. A grave view is taken of the epidemic owing to the fact that it is faced with so little resistance by natives, and for this reason every care has been taken to prevent the outbreak from spreading rapidly.

The outbreak of measles at Raro tonga also caused a slight alteration in the itinerary of the Union Company’s “Maunganui” which left yesterday on the first Pacific cruise of the season with 250 tourists.

Passengers from the “Maunganui” will not be allowed to land at Raro tonga, and after discharging perishable cargo and mails there the ship will leave for Papeete. Calls will be made at Moorea and Bora Bora (French Oceania), Apia (Western Samoa), and Vavau and Nukualofa (Tonga).

Major C. B. Joske, 0.8. E., M.C., who was one of Fiji’s military represent atives at the Coronation, returned to the Colony from America by the June “Aorangi”

Mr. and Mrs. Alport Barker, of Suva, left Fiji by the June “Niagara” on a short visit to Honolulu, Hawaii.

Hon. Dr. V. W. T. McGusty, Secretary for Indian Affairs in Fiji has been ap pointed Director of Medical Services in the Colony in succession to the Hon. Dr.

A. H. B. Pearce.

Dr. D. W. Hoodless, Principal of the Central Medical School at Suva, has been provisionally appointed a nominated member of the Fiji Legislative Council.