Eoberton. — Malaria and Mosquitos. 239 



claims to portions of the West African coast, and to per- 

 mit territory to be occupied by other nations. Fortu- 

 nately, the interests at stake at other parts of the coast 

 were too great to be sacrificed. We may look forward 

 now to a much greater measure of prosperity and de- 

 velopment in that and other lands, development which 

 will affect the whole world by opening up new markets and 

 by increasing the field of production. 



The benefits, in the form of life preserved and suffering 

 avoided, it will not be possible to calculate. It is prema- 

 ture to speak of the possibility of the extermination of 

 malaria while so many millions of our fellow-creatures re- 

 main beyond the reach of the knowledge of the conditions 

 necessary to prevent it, but among the more enlightened 

 inhabitants of malarious countries the fear of malaria as an 

 unavoidable evil will soon have passed away. 



In conclusion, I may refer to a question I have been 

 asked, Is malaria likely to arise in New Zealand ? Under 

 present conditions, No. The human host is already here, 

 and from time to time the malarial parasite is introduced 

 by those coming to the colony suffering from ague. There 

 is, however, no Anopheles ; at any rate, as I am informed 

 by Captain Hutton, none has as yet been discovered in the 

 colony, and until it has been introduced no malaria can 

 arise from infection in the colony. There is no great pos- 

 sibility of both the malarial parasite and Anopheles being 

 introduced in such numbers at one time as to occasion 

 a serious epidemic. Now that the Government has ar- 

 ranged a properly organized Department of Public Health, 

 and there is a prospect of this Department in time being 

 equal to the demand made on it, we may say confidently 

 that if malaria is introduced its spread will be easily 

 stopped. That Anopheles may be brought here is, how- 

 ever, a possibility, and this becomes greater as our means 

 of communication with Melanesia and the tropical parts of 

 Australia become greater and more speedy. The Anopheles 

 might easily be carried on board ship, and so reach our 

 shores. The probability is, however, that if conveyed by 

 ship accidentally from these hot countries it would, on 

 coming into our colder climate, hibernate until the vessel 

 had left our latitude and once more reached a warmer place. 



It is interesting to know that Mauritius was formerly free 

 from malaria, but suffered terribly from an epidemic about 

 the year 1867. This epidemic coincided approximately with 

 the discovery in the island of forms of mosquito capable of 

 conveying malaria. This and also the malarial parasite were 

 probably introduced along with coolies from India. 



