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Transcribed from an article in South Africa Magazine, 16 November 1918 INFLUENZA IN SOUTH AFRICA Cape Town, November 6. Conditions are returning to the normal in practically all the large towns of the Union, although there still occur a number of deaths from pneumonia. The situation in some of the country districts is still serious, notably amongst the native and coloured population. Quantities of serum, however, are now being distributed, and it is expected that the disease will be controlled in the course of a week. An outbreak of the epidemic is reported from the Natal sugar estates, especially amongst the Indian workers.-Reuter. Pretoria, November 7. It is officially stated that, owing to the rapid spread of Spanish influenza northwards, the immigration of Europeans or natives into Nyasaland is prohibited except in cases of extreme urgency.-Reuter. Cape Town, November 8. A feature of the influenza epidemic has been the manner in which cooperation in relief work has brought together Dutch and British, particularly in the Free State. Mr. Merriman, speaking at a meeting at Stellenbosch, in thanking those who had helped, mentioned an English farmer in the Free State whose home was badly stricken, the whole household being ill, until a motorist brought medicine, relief, and sympathetic assistance. The farmer, who had previously regarded this motorist with horror and detestation, now looked upon him as the most kind-hearted of men. The motorist was General Hertzog.-Reuter. AUSTRIA'S SURRENDER. ITALIAN REJOICINGS IN SOUTH AFRICA. Cape Town, November 6. The Italian communities in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and elsewhere celebrated the Austrian surrender, and passed a resolution to send congratulations to King Victor Emmanuel.-Reuter. DEATH OF MRS. C. A. MACGREGOR. The notice in our obituary column today will be read with regret by many in South Africa. She was an old Colonist, having first gone to Cape Colony in 1882, and in 1894 she removed from Port Elizabeth to Durban, where her husband was a partner in the well-known firm of W. Dunn and Co. In the ten years of her residence there she made a host of friends, especially in literary and musical circles. A granddaughter of the Rev. Josiah Redford, Minister of the Congregational Church, Eccleston Square, London, she inherited a strong religious character, and her life was devoted to unobtrusive sympathy and assistance to all in distress, and especially towards children, to whom she seemed to act as a kind of universal mother. Devoted to music, she made her home a place of melody and sunshine, where friends were ever welcome, and played many of her own compositions, which she never had the leisure to publish. She was proud that in this great war all her sons wear the King's uniform, and her daughter that of the Red Cross Society, but her anxiety for those on active service was great. Captain Malcolm MacGregor is in East Africa, and Lieutenant Robert S. MacGregor (51st Highland Division) in France, and the deceased lady looked forward eagerly for their return. It is sad that she did not live a few days longer to see the dawn of Peace on Earth, for which she longed; but, as a correspondent writes to us, "her friends are comforted by the thought that her pure and noble spirit has entered the Land of Eternal Peace and Rest." ADDRESS OF MR. HALE-HELPS To the Editor of "South Africa." Dear Sir-Would you kindly help us, by your widely-read paper, to find the address of Mr. Hale-Helps, who was appointed Secretary in Bulawayo (before the war) to the members of the Matabele war, 1896, who were trying to get the farms promised by the late C. J. Rhodes from the Chartered Company?
You would much oblige, dear Sir, your obedient servants, THE R.C.I. AND THE WAR The following resolution was unanimously adopted at the opening meeting of the 51st Session held at the Central Hall, on Tuesday last, Sir Charles Lucas, Chairman of the Council, presiding: "This meeting of members and friends of the Royal Colonial Institute wish to register its thankfulness to Almighty God that the war has been brought to a successful issue, and to record its pride in and its gratitude to the fighting men of the British Empire who in death and life, on sea, on land, and in the air have enriched our proudest traditions and ennobled our common heritage." Mr. J. C. Furstenau, advocate of Quilimane, has been appointed State Prosecutor in the Courts of that district. CABLE NEWS FROM THE MINES LUIPAARD'S VLEI. Results affected by influenza. VILLAGE DEEP. Reduced tonnage due to shortage of labour. BANTJES CONSOLIDATED. Improved results due continuation clean up. NEW GOCH. Loss due to small tonnage and fall in grade. SPRINGS AND BRAKPAN. Tonnage and profits seriously affected by influenza. NEW HERIOT. Loss due to disorganization resulting from epidemic influenza. CITY AND SUBURBAN. Loss due to disorganization resulting from epidemic influenza. RHODESIA BROKEN HILL. Influenza epidemic very bad at the mine; both furnaces closed down temporarily. BARNATO GROUP. Profit of all Companies adversely affected by influenza epidemic, some of them seriously. AURORA WEST. The loss for the month is due to small tonnage consequent upon the effects of influenza. VILLAGE MAIN REEF. October results affected by the disorganization of White and native workmen due to influenza epidemic. RAND MINES GROUP. Results of Companies affected by the disorganization of White and native labour due to influenza epidemic. CONSOLIDATED MAIN REEF GROUP. Results of all Companies affected by the disorganization of White and native workmen due to influenza epidemic. ROODEPOORT UNITED. Increased loss due to small tonnage and fall in grade. An improvement in both directions is gradually taking place. CAM AND MOTOR. We expect to resume milling on restricted basis in two days. Owing to shortage of labour through influenza have fallen short of coal. WEST RAND CONSOLIDATED. Loss due to the effects of influenza epidemic and the necessity for closing the Rand Shaft temporarily owing to a breakdown of the pumping plant. The latter will also affect the results for November. NEW KLEINFONTEIN. Operations seriously affected by epidemic of Spanish influenza from which very large proportion of staff (Whites and natives) suffered during the month. It is anticipated that results for November will also be affected. TRANSVAAL GOLD MINING ESTATES. In consequence of influenza epidemic almost all native employes have fled to their homes, and operations are entirely suspended. Owing to illness of the staff, the publication of the results for October will be considerably delayed. PRINCESS ESTATE. The Princess Company suffered exceptionally severely from the outbreak of Spanish influenza. Practically without exception the whole of the staff and employes, including the Manager, fell ill, while of the 2494 native labourers 2401 were affected. Fortunately only 7 died. Work was therefore complete disorganized for the greater part of the month. Conditions are now normal. EAST RAND PROPRIETARY. Shareholders were notified last month of an accident in the Hercules shaft which prevented hauling of the tonnage broken in that section during the latter portion of September. This ore was milled during October, thereby increasing the tonnage milled at a small cost with a consequent material reduction in average cost per ton for past month, which was further decreased by a temporary curtailment of development footage in two sections of the mine in order to facilitate the commencement of stoping operations therein. Profit earned is just sufficient to meet standing charges, including debenture service. Grade of ore now being mined shows signs of improvement, and it remains to be seen if this improvement in grade and the native labour position will enable Company to make working profit required to meet standing charges. Outlook regarding native labour is at present unsatisfactory, due to prevailing epidemic, which has interfered with supply coming forward from the native territories. The death took place at Johannesburg on the 7th inst., from wounds received in action on November 30, 1917, "after long and terrible suffering," of Lieutenant Leslie Imroth, 11th Hampshire Regiment, only son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Imroth, of Johannesburg.
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