Nov. 17.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1655

Of the four chief towns Christchurch had the highest death-rate per 1,000 persons living in October. At all of these towns the rates were lower than those for the previous month. Comparing with October, 1892, the rate this year for the corresponding month is higher at Auckland and Christchurch, but lower at Wellington and Dunedin:—

                Death-rate,    Death-rate,    Death-rate,
                Sept., 1893.   Oct., 1893.   Oct., 1892.

Auckland .. .. .. .. .. .. 0.90 .. 0.83 .. 0.59
Wellington .. .. .. .. .. .. 1.42 .. 0.98 .. 1.06
Christchurch .. .. .. .. .. ..1.26 .. 1.08 .. 0.62
Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. .. ..0.82 .. 0.72 .. 0.89

Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases.—A very low rate of mortality is observed, the total number of deaths being only 6 at the chief towns (or at the rate of 6·45 per cent of the deaths from all causes), against 17 in September, and 33 in August. The fall is chiefly in consequence of the epidemic of measles passing off. From this disease there were 26 deaths in August, 11 in September, and only 1 (at Auckland) in October. There was 1 death from whooping-cough at Wellington, and 1 at Dunedin, during last month. Influenza was fatal in 1 case at Christchurch.

Constitutional Diseases.—There were 15 deaths from tubercular diseases, comprising 11 from phthisis, 2 from tubercular meningitis, 1 from tabes mesenterica, and 1 from tubercular ulceration of a part not defined. The deaths from cancer numbered 7, which with one from rickets make the total number of 23, being the same as in the previous month.

Local Diseases.—The total number of deaths at the four centres was 50 in October, against 55 in September. Of the 50 deaths last month, 15 were from diseases of the respiratory system, 18 from diseases of the nervous system, 8 from diseases of the heart, and 6 from diseases of the digestive system.

Violent Deaths.—The total number was 6, 5 of which were accidental, and 1 a suicide. A child of 8 years died from fracture of the skull; a girl of 11 years was burned to death by her clothes catching fire; and another of 7 years died from burns. A herbalist was found dead, presumably from an overdose of morphia, and a miller was killed by becoming entangled in his machinery. The suicide was that of a storeman who hanged himself.

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.

| Towns. | Six Principal Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases. | | | | | | | | | | | | Principal Lung-diseases. | | | | | |
|--------|-------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|
| | Measles. | Scarlet Fever. | Typhoid and other Fever. | Diphtheria. | Whooping-cough. | Diarrhoeal Diseases. | Bronchitis. | Pleurisy. | Pneumonia. | Congestion of Lungs. |
| | Oct. | Sept | Oct. | Sept | Oct. | Sept | Oct. | Sept | Oct. | Sept | Oct. | Sept | Oct. | Sept | Oct. | Sept | Oct. | Sept |
| Auckland .. .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1 | .. | 1 | 2 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Wellington .. .. | .. | 8 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1 | 1 | .. | 2 | 2 | .. | 1 | .. | 1 | .. | .. | 1 |
| Christchurch .. .. | .. | 2 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 2 | 2 | .. | 1 | .. | 2 | .. | .. | .. |
| Dunedin .. .. | .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1 | 1 | .. | 1 | 1 | .. | .. | .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. |
| Totals .. .. | 1 | 11 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1 | 2 | .. | 7 | 5 | .. | 1 | .. | 4 | .. | 1 | 1 |

Registrar-General's Office,
Wellington, 14th November, 1893.

E. J. von DADELSZEN,
Registrar-General.

Provisional Meteorological Return for October, 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.

Meteorological Office, Wellington, November, 1893.

JAMES HECTOR,
Director.