Severe Sickness In
p. 40 · Read in the full issue
Rarotonga
From Our Own Correspondent
Rarotonga Lmpft
Ttttp u RAROTONGA. June 8.
HE sun shone to-day and did much to chase away our blues. The past week of leaden skies, cold wind and contmual ram had been a climax to one of the worst spells of illness in years.
Whooping-cough caused a distressing number of native infant deaths, and many people, including Europeans, of all ages were badly shaken with it.
While the whooping-cough was at its height, there was a fierce epidemic of in fluenza. Few escaped—most suffered from this and whooping-cough at the same time. There were few fatalities from in fluenza, although it took some toll among the aged.
Schools, churches, cinema and all public gatherings have been closed for weeks.
The entertainment of the personnel of HMNZS “Arbutus” now on a Pacific cruise, was cancelled. After a brief call, the corvette proceeded to other islands Local shipping has been tied up, but official permission has now been given for shipping and public meetings to re sume.
Women passengers predominated on the “Montoro” which left Brisbane for Papua-New Guinea on June 14. Of the 95 passengers from Sydney, 50 were women, 23 were children and there were 22 men. Twenty one passengers em barked in Brisbane, 16 of whom were women. Many were to re-join their husbands, others to be married or join mission bodies.