§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the bubonic plague now raging in Cape Town and its vicinity has assumed serious proportions; whether the statistics published of those who had taken this disease and of those to whom it has proved fatal are confined to cases in Cape Town itself; and whether he can state the numbers in Cape Colony who have been affected with and who have succumbed to this disease; and whether he will include the total number of the sufferers from this disease and the deaths caused by it in the published weekly returns.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe publication of statistics is a question within the province of the Government of the Cape Colony, but I am asking the Cape Government if they will supply in the weekly bulletin the additional information as to the total numbers of those affected by and of the deaths from the disease which the hon. Member desires.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the fact that the German authorities have already taken action to prevent the infection from bubonic plague now raging in Cape Colony reaching German ports; and whether any steps have been taken to prevent infection reaching this country in ships bound to this country from South Africa; and, if not, whether any such precautionary measure is contemplated.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG,) Bristol, S.My right hon. friend has asked me to reply to this question. I am aware of the action taken by the German Government. Arrangements are made by the sanitary authorities at the ports in this country for the examination of all vessels coming from places affected with plague, and for taking such action as may be necessary for dealing with persons or things on board from which danger of infection is apprehended. Special memoranda prepared by the medical officer of the Local Government Board with respect to plague have been issued to the local authorities, and such further advice and instructions as may from time to time be found requisite will be issued to them. Where exceptional circumstances render it expedient, it is my practice to send a medical inspector to confer with the port authorities and their officers.