Young Fiji Travellers

Strict Quarantine For Young Fiji Travellers

Precaution Against the Intro

duction of Infantile Paralysis

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Dec. 22.

SINCE the epidemic of poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis) became serious in New Zealand, rigid quarantine precautions have been enforced in Fiji, and the outbreak at Brisbane, Queens land, has meant the extension of the system to arrivals by the Sydney-Bris bane-Noumea-Suva air service.

All arrivals under 19 years of age go into strict quarantine at a temporary station which has been established at the Nasinu Teachers’ Training College, and all other passengers are kept under care ful surveillance until any possible danger of their introducing the disease into Fiji is past.

Dozens of children have gone to Nasinu, most of them from New Zealand schools. 40 of them were among the “Matua’s” 80 December passengers.

Dozens of children who had gone home to Fiji for the summer vacation after attending school in New Zealand have been clapped into Nasinu and will re main there for at least two weeks.

Parents are permitted to send parcels and Christmas gifts but they cannot visit their children.

A small measure of consolation was afforded parents on December 18, when it was announced that the maintenance charge had been dropped from £1 per day to 10/- per day.

Quarantine in W. Samoa

From Our Own Correspondent

Apia. Dec. 11.

THE outbreak of infantile paralysis in New Zealand has led to stringent restrictions on air and sea traffic from New Zealand to Western Samoa.

The fortnightly air service connecting New Zealand, via Suva, with Samoa has been completely suspended while the “Matua,” due at Christmas, will be sub ject to severe quarantine.

Stevedoring work on board will be per formed by Fijian labour and no passengers or crew will be allowed on shore. Mails will be fumigated and only outward passengers will be permitted to go on board and remain there.

The quarantine regulations are much stricter than those imposed in other island groups. The Samoan people still remember the terrible ravages of the 1918-19 influenza epidemic.

Precautions in Norfolk Island

PRECAUTIONS to isolate the current epidemic of infantile paralysis to New Zealand, have been extended to Norfolk Island and until further notice no travellers from the Dominion will be ad mitted to the island.

These precautions, although necessary, will seriously interfere with the tourist traffic. Three aircraft, flown by the New Zealand National Airways Corporation, call at Norfolk Island every fortnight and flights were fully booked during December and January.

Services will be run to take passengers already on the island back to the Dominion as they require.

Fiji Children Out of Quarantine

Suva, Jan. 5.

THE quarantine period completed, the 40-odd children who arrived from New Zealand in the “Matua” have been released and the temporary quaran tine station at Nasinu has been closed.

The few under-19 passengers likely to arrive from poliomyelitis-infected areas will now be quarantined at the Tamavua Hospital.