Of the two Territorials on leave from Trentham who reported themselves at the Hospital for medical examination, one was presumably suffering from measles and the other had a sore throat.
It has now been discovered that the measles patient is supposedly suffering from a mild attack of cerebro meningitis, while the other Territorial has the germs of the disease in his throat.
Both cases have been isolated at the Hospital.
Moreover, about 15 other men on leave from Trentham have called at the Hospital for medical examination within the last two days.
Several of these have been isolated, on suspicion, while the others have been passed as free from the disease.
The suspect cases are being watched by the officers of the Health Department.
• An interesting local ordinance in regard to the planting and cultivation of their lands by the natives of the Mauke Island made in April last is referred to in the annual report of the Cook Islands Commissioner.
Under this ordinance, called the planting and cultivation of lands ordinance, all men are required to plant and cultivate their lands and to keep them clean and free from weeds.
Every able-bodied man of the age of 18 years and upwards is required to plant each month not fewer than 10 cocoanut trees, 10 banana plants, and 10 orange trees, and such amount of taro and kumaras as may be necessary for his sustenance.
All such trees shall be properly planted - cocoanuts in straight rows not less than 20ft apart, bananas in straight rows not less than 10ft apart, and oranges in straight rows not less than 15ft apart.
Those men whose lands are filled to the limits of their capacity are required to exercise due diligence in keeping them properly weeded and clean.
The penalty of a breach of the ordinance is a fine not exceeding 5, and in default of payment imprisonment for any term not exceeding one month.
''The health of the natives,'' states Mr H. W. Northcroft (Resident Commissioner for the Cook Islands), in his annual report, ''still remains in a most unsatisfactory and deplorable condition.
For the islands of Mangaia, Atiu, Mauke, Mitiaro, Aitutaki, Palmerston, Rakahanga, Penrhyn, and Pukapuka we are doing little or nothing, though in October, 1911, Dr Percival reported that the health of these islands was in such a bad condition that it would take a medical man six months on each island to rectify it before they could be visited at stated intervals.
It is true that Dr MacClurkin visited these islands during this last year, stopping a few days at each, but his visits were too short to be of any real benefit. He brought some natives back with him, and advised others to come to the hospital to be operated on.
''The health of these islanders demands earnest attention if they are not to be allowed to die out. Dr Norman reports that the outlook as regards the future of the native race is far from reassuring. The services of Dr Norman were lost in May, and meanwhile nothing is being done for the islands other than Rarotonga, where the conditions are steadily rising from bad to worse. By the annexation of these islands we have made ourselves responsible for the health of their native inhabitants, and in my opinion we are criminally negligent if we do not adopt some more effective measure than has been hitherto taken to endeavour to reduce the enormous mass of contagious and infectious disease now existing. In the interest of our fruit trade, if for no more cogent reason, our medical service must be improved.'' - ODT, 28.7.1915.
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