The Nelson Evening Mail reported on plague rats around New Zealand in 1900. Photo / 123rf
The Nelson Evening Mail reported on plague rats around New Zealand in 1900. Photo / 123rf
The Country looks back at some of the biggest and best stories of the past 12 months, including readers’ favourites, news events and those yarns that gave us a glimpse into rural lives and livelihoods across the country.
Originally published January 19.
Kem Ormond takes a look at the worldof farming back in the day.
Bubonic plague conjures images of facing the Black Death during the Great Plague of London in 1665.
The Premier’s statement is verified that plague existed in rats in places other than Wellington.
In Dunedin, the rats have been discovered suffering from bubonic, plague and at Balclutha and other inland towns in Otago rats have been recently dying in numbers and it is believed that the plague bacillus is the cause of mortality.
There is no doubt about Dunedin, as Dr Roberts has reported as much to the Colonial Secretary.
As a result of scientific investigation, Dr Fyffe has made a similar report regarding the rats in Wanganui.
The Aramoho district authorities state that there is no reason for panic, but the discovery should impel people throughout New Zealand to persist in sanitary precautions.
Plague rats
An important official statement.
Wanganui Chronicle, July 6, 1900
We have received for publication the following important official notification from Mr J. F. McEachran, M.R.C.V.S. : —
Regarding the Mayor’s utterances about plagues of rats in Aramoho, Mr Gilruth, Royal Commissioner, desires me to make the following statement : —
The rats and specimens from rats examined by Mr Gilruth were obtained from the Aramoho district and from the town of Wanganui.
The recent specimens were caught at the wharves in the vicinity of the Wanganui Railway Station.
The history of the outbreak is of special interest at the present time.
A "Rat Week" advertisement in the Te Awamutu Courier in 1944. Image / Papers Past
Early in the year, numerous rats were found dead or dying on the breakwater at Castlecliff; so numerous, indeed, as to evoke surprise.
Shortly afterwards sickly rats were observed in town.
Unfortunately, the authorities took no notice of the circumstance.
Towards the end of March and beginning of April, the rats in the neighbourhood of Aramoho became visibly affected, and acting on instructions from headquarters, I immediately took steps to have them examined.
