May 18.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 697

The following remarks apply to the four principal boroughs only: The births in April were 173, against 249 in March, a decrease of 76. The deaths amounted to 113, against 104 in March, an increase of 9. There were 19 deaths of persons of 65 years and upwards: 7 males of 69, 72, 73, 76, 78, 84, and 87, and 2 females of 77, died at Auckland; 2 males of 69 and 74, and 2 females of 69 and 80, at Wellington; 1 male of 80, and 3 females of 69, 73, and 74, at Christchurch; 1 male of 65, and and 1 female of 81, at Dunedin.

The highest death-rate at the four chief towns during April was that of Auckland, 1·50 per 1,000 of population; Christchurch followed, with a rate of 1·13 per 1,000; the next in order was Wellington, 0·92 per 1,000; and the lowest Dunedin, 0·72 per 1,000 persons living. In March the rate was highest (1·20) at Christchurch, and lowest (0·86) at Wellington.

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—Both numerically and proportionally the deaths from these diseases were less in April than in March. The total number last month at the four cities was 13, 5 of which were at Auckland, and 6 at Wellington. Influenza caused one death at each of these towns. Diphtheria was fatal in one case at Auckland. There were no deaths at Auckland, Christchurch, or Dunedin from typhoid fever, but Wellington shows 4 deaths, against 5 in March. The others in this class were deaths of children from diarrhœal diseases, 3 at Auckland, and 1 at each of the other towns.

Constitutional Diseases.—The mortality was high, 22·12 per cent. of the whole; the number of deaths being 25. Chief among the causes stands the dreaded cancer, showing the alarming number of 13 deaths, of which 5 were at Wellington. Amongst other causes are noticed phthisis with 6 deaths, and diabetes, 2 deaths.

Local Diseases.—The deaths numbered 47, against 46 in March. Diseases of the nervous system contributed 13, including 4 from apoplexy; diseases of the heart, and aneurism, 10 deaths. From diseases of the respiratory system the deaths, which were due to croup and bronchitis, only numbered 6, 5 of which were at Auckland. There were 18 deaths from diseases of the digestive and urinary system, and 1 from disease of the reproductive system (miscarriage).

Violent Deaths.—These numbered 8 altogether, of which 2 were by suicide (1 by shooting and the other by jumping from a window), and 6 from accident.

The subjoined table shows the mortality for the last two months at each of these four boroughs from six principal specific febrile or zymotic diseases, 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.

Registrar-General’s Office,
Wellington, 9th May, 1893.

E. J. Von DADELSZEN,
Registrar-General.

PROVISIONAL METEOROLOGICAL RETURN FOR APRIL, 1893.

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.

JAMES HECTOR,
Director.

Meteorological Office, Wellington, May, 1893.