Though many books on particular campaigns, notably Featon’s ‘‘Waikato War’’, and narratives like those written by Sir George Whitmore, Colonel Gudgeon, and Colonel M’Donell, all containing valuable information, have been published, there is no one work dealing with the war as a whole — nor, indeed, any complete account of Heke’s war or the Taranaki and East Coast wars.
Again little attempt has been made to show the inter-relation of the wars in the ’sixties, and to trace the development of the anti-pakeha crusade on the various sectors, beginning with Taranaki in 1860. In the natural course of things such a history would not be written until sufficient time had elapsed to enable the troubled period to be viewed in a true perspective. It was felt however, that any further delay would result in many sources of information being lost. In the official records of the Government, of course, there is information that will always be available for the use of historians, but it is a matter of only a few years now when the last survivors (both European and Maori) of the last of the Maori wars will have passed away. From them it is hoped that Mr Cowan will be able to gather and place on record valuable information that otherwise would be lost for ever.
Flu beatenThe latest reports show that the influenza outbreak, as far as Otago is concerned, is rapidly being stamped out, whilst the position in Dunedin is practically back to normal. The latest hospital report shows only one admission and no deaths at that institution for the past 24 hours. The total number of patients in hospital at 2 p.m. yesterday was 113, a decrease of 16 compared with the previous day. The Knox and Baptist Auxiliaries will be closed about the end of this week. For the first 24 hours preceding 9 a.m. yesterday, no notifications of pneumonic cases from the Waitaki, Otago, and Southland Hospital district were received at the office of the District Health Officer, and though possibly a few may arrive by the next mail delivery it is anticipated that the notifications in future will be few in number, and will shortly cease altogether. The Hospital report at 2 p.m. yesterday was as follows:- Main Hospital: Dangerously ill 11, seriously ill 5, moderately ill 35, convalescent 2; total 53. Baptist Auxiliary: Moderately ill 1, convalescent 16; total 17. Knox Auxiliary: Moderately ill 6, convalescent 37; total 43.
Sealing gravesA proposition in the interest of the health of the community in the future to the effect that the graves of all influenza victims should be sealed for all time has been placed before the Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. W. Russell). The points raised concerns those applications in the future which may be made for relatives now living to be buried in the same graves as those who died from the epidemic. Reasons why the graves should be sealed have been advanced (says the Dominion). The Minister has promised to give the proposition careful consideration. — ODT, 17.12.1918.
