470

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Comparison with the previous Month.---There were more deaths at the Towns of Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin,
and Hokitika in March than in February. At Auckland the deaths fell from 19 in February to 13 last month. The subjoined
table shows the mortality for the two months at each town from six principal Zymotic diseases of the Miasmatic order, and also
the deaths from certain inflammatory diseases of the lungs. These causes of death have been distinguished from the others
of the classes to which they belong, as being the most important special diseases which give rise to sudden increases in the
death-rates of towns, and the prevalence of which is closely connected with sanitary condition and climatic influence of the
season on health.

SIX PRINCIPAL ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
PRINCIPAL LUNG DISEASES.

Scarlet Fever reappeared as a cause of death at Nelson in March. Deaths from fever took place at Wellington, Nelson,
and Christchurch in March, there having been none during the previous month. The mortality from Whooping Cough at all the
towns decreased from 8 deaths in February to 4 in March. These 4 deaths were at Nelson.
The accidental deaths in March numbered 10. A death occurred from fall on to a billiard table, a child was killed by burns
after her clothes catching fire, 6 persons were accidentally drowned, a warehouseman was killed by injury to his spine, a child
was suffocated in bed.
In March, 1877, there were 125 deaths in the boroughs. Scarlatina caused 20 of these: 10 at Dunedin, and 10 at Hokitika.
This caused a very high death-rate at those towns, as compared with the rate for March, 1878.

Registrar-General's Office,
Wellington, April, 1878.

WM. R. E. BROWN,
Registrar-General.

PROVISIONAL METEOROLOGICAL RETURN FOR MARCH, 1878.

| | AUCKLAND. | WELLINGTON. | NELSON. | CHRIST-
CHURCH. | HOKITIKA. | DUNEDIN. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Temperature in Shade | 64.3 | 61.1 | 58.5 | 57.7 | 56.4 | 55.0 |
| Average for same month previous years | 65.6 | 62.6 | 60.6 | 58.1 | 57.9 | 55.4 |
| Maximum Temperature in Shade, and date | 79.2 on 1st | 75.0 on 3rd | 77.0 on 21st | 84.0 on 29th | 67.1 on 15th | 80.0 on 29th |
| | | | | and 29th | | and 29th |
| Minimum Temperature in Shade, and date | 49.3 on 5th | 41.5 on 6th | 37.0 on 6th | 33.1 on 19th | 40.4 on 23rd | 39.0 on 5th |
| Maximum Temperature in Sun, and date | 141.9 on 1st | 137.0 on 6th | 135.0 on 4th, 21st, and 30th | 148.0 on 30th | 132.0 on 1st, 2nd, 11th, and 15th | 115.0 on 31st |
| Minimum Temperature on Grass, and date | 29.0 on 6th | 36.0 on 6th | ... | 21.3 on 19th | 34.0 on 5th | 33.0 on 19th |
| Mean Humidity (Saturation=100) | 72 | 77 | 76 | 70 | 87 | 70 |
| Average for same month previous years | 74 | 72 | 76 | 78 | 85 | 73 |
| Total Rainfall in inches | 0.530 | 1.193 | 1.140 | 0.660 | 11.810 | 4.854 |
| Average for same month previous years | 2.815 | 2.831 | 3.510 | 2.006 | 8.177 | 2.409 |
| Number of Days on which Rain fell | 10 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 13 |
| Average for same month previous years | 10 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 12 |

NOTE.---This table is prepared from unchecked averages, transmitted by telegraph in anticipation of the full returns, and must not be entirely relied on for compiling Meteorological Statistics.

April, 1878.

J. HECTOR, Inspector.