The arrival of the Willochra had been viewed with a certain amount of misgiving, so far as the health of the men was concerned, as a death from smallpox had already been reported from Albany.
Drs Valintine (Chief Health Officer for the dominion), Hope Lewis (Auckland), Watt (District Health Officer in Otago), Borrie (Health Officer at Port Chalmers), and Champtaloup, and Captain Thomson (harbour master) went out to the steamer, which was anchored at the bend, in a launch.
Although various rumours came to the shore party waiting to disembark the men from those who had been out in motor launches that the steamer was to go into quarantine - the information being called out from men on board, - it was not until the medical officers returned, at about half-past 1, that these rumours were known to be true.
It appears that the medical men found no trace of any contagious disease until they came to examine practically the last soldier.
The suggestion is offered that perhaps the ship's medical officers were themselves a bit anxious as to the state of this man's health.
At any rate, the local doctors decided that he showed typical symptoms of smallpox, and it was thereupon decided to order the vessel into quarantine.
Furthermore, all the doctors who had boarded the vessel, and also Captain Thomson, had to be vaccinated before they returned to Port Chalmers.
Word came through that the vessel was short of potatoes and fresh eggs, and arrangements were quickly made to send these out by a motor launch.
The Otago Women's Association sent down cakes and sandwiches, and the Otago Soldiers' Welfare and Patriotic Committee forwarded cases of fruit and cigarettes.
As the Willochra found a difficulty in swinging in the stream, late in the afternoon she was taken outside the Heads and anchored.
The friends of the men on the ship will not, of course, be able to see their relatives for about a fortnight, but they will be advised as to which island the men are quarantined on.
• The great interest being taken in the movement for 6 o'clock closing of hotels was evident by the very large congregation that assembled in the Octagon Hall last evening to hear the Rev.
Clarence Eaton's address.
Mr Eaton, who spoke for 45 minutes, dealt trenchantly with the evils resulting from the liquor traffic.
He stated there was no legitimate reason why hotels should be open after all other business premises were closed. - ODT, 15.5.1916.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
