The Talune

“…I have also been troubled by some unfinished business. There are events in our past which have been little known in New Zealand, although they are well known in Samoa.
Those events relate to the inept and incompetent early administration of Samoa by New Zealand.
…In particular we acknowledge with regret the decision taken by the New Zealand authorities in 1918 to allow the ship Talune, carrying passengers with influenza, to dock in Apia... It is judged to be one of the worst epidemics recorded in the world, and was preventable.”
Rt Hon Helen Clark, Prime Minister 3 June 2002.

“Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
George Satayan (except he probably said it in español)


When Helen Clark apologised to the Samoan people in 2002, regarding the influenza epidemic delivered to Samoa on the Talune, she was acknowledging a period of governance in which NZ administrators of Samoa showed deplorable judgement.

It would lead to the rise of the movement known as the “Mau”. But that is another story...this story is about the incident of the Talune- which would establish sentiments later embodied in that movement.

In 1918 , roughly 15 million people lost their lives to “Spanish” influenza as the strain spread across the globe in the wake of World War 1. In a world where global travel wasn't what it is today, it's evident that some deaths were preventable.

In September the USSC Niagara left Canada carrying NZ Prime Minister William Massey and the Minister of Finance...and (by the time it reached NZ) over 100 cases of influenza, and 2 dead. Although the ship had been quarantined in Fiji, Minister of Health (George Russell) allowed the ship to be cleared just 2 hours after docking in Auckland.

The Talune arrived in Auckland 9 days after Niagara. Talune then sailed on to Lyttleton, prior to the return voyage to Apia via Suva.

On board Talune were Mrs George Churchwood* (Ellen Ah Sue) and her children and a serving girl, Ta'u. *Ellen and George were parents to George Churchwood, who married Alma Stowers, my great aunt.

The ship was quarantined in Fiji on return, but landed passengers- introducing the influenza to Fiji. The ship's captain signed a document indicating there was no sickness on board - although several cases were apparent.

Passengers collected in Fiji had been charged double the usual fare (some ₤3) to allow for extra provisions, as it was likely that the ship for would be delayed in quarantine in Samoa.

By the time it made Apia- 3 days later on November 7, there were more cases on board. The Captain, one John Mawson, deliberately avoided quarantine in Samoa- claiming passengers were “seasick” and indicating everything had gone smoothly in Fiji. Passengers however, were surprised to be allowed ashore in Apia, despite obvious illnesses aboard.

Talune left Apia within 24 hours of arriving.

The next stop was Tonga. By the time Talune returned to Suva- there had been 15 deaths aboard.

The medical advisor in Apia, meanwhile had encouraged ill looking passengers upon disembarking, to hurry home.

Ta'u, the Churchwood's serving girl was to become the first of approximately 8500 Samoans to perish with influenza.

Before the epidemic was over, whole families would die in their homes. Entire villages were incapacitated, and corpses remained unburied, with no-one healthy enough to dig the graves. Ultimately, many bodies were either thrown into mass graves or left in their fale’s and their homes burnt.

Status was no defence- when one chief died in Apia,17 men came to collect his body... none returned to their village.

Logan- the NZ Administrator in charge of Samoa- would accomplish little in this time, but did manage to;
- threaten to burn down a boarding school if the sick girls inside would not come to dig graves
- blame Samoans themselves for the high death rate
- refuse an offer of help from the American's at Pago Pago (an inquiry into the event was told that he had then removed and destroyed the received telegram...)
- order wireless communications with the Americans to be cut-off.

New Zealand, pre-occupied with it's own influenza spread, never sent help. The first medical assistance to Samoa was provided by an Australian team.

In NZ, “Spanish” flu killed over 5500 people (less than 1% of the population).
Tonga would lose 10% of it's population as a result of Talune's visitation.
American Samoa by contrast didn't suffer from the pandemic, due to quarantine procedures being followed.

An estimated 8500 Samoans died (official records indicated 7542- but not all deaths were recorded, due to the scope of the epidemic).

22% of the population, 1 in 5 Samoans were killed.

“The introduction of influenza and the burying of the dead in a common grave has entirely changed their feelings, but this, I hope is only temporary and like children, they will get over it”
Col. Robert Logan- NZ administrator to Samoa.