June 14.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 931

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accident or Negligence,—
Fracture of Ribs.. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1
Fracture of Leg .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. 1
Burned .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 .. .. 3
Found Drowned .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 2
Hæmorrhage from Umbilical Cord.. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1
ORDER 3:—
Suicide,—
By Shooting while Insane .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1
By Drowning while suffering from
Delirium Tremens .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1

CLASS VIII.—ILL-DEFINED AND NOT-
SPECIFIED CAUSES.
Marasmus, &c. .. .. .. 3 .. .. 1 .. 2 .. 6
Cystic Tumour .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1

Totals .. .. .. 17 30 8 21 3 25 10 36 150

It has been remarked that the vital statistics of the four chief centres of population as given prior to March last in the monthly reports are deficient in a most important particular—i.e., that in striking the death-rates the suburbs have not been represented and dealt with as well as the cities. It is, no doubt, important to show the mortality in the suburbs, and the rates may vary considerably from that of the centre in any case. There is, first of all, the factor of different sanitary conditions in the suburbs from those obtaining in the centre; but, besides this, when the area occupied by a city is to a great extent full of shops and warehouses, the population will, as time advances, include more and more caretakers, and fewer families with young children. The suburbs, on the other hand, will include many of these last. The death-rates will vary accordingly, apart from matters relating to sanitary conditions, but perhaps not so much so as might at first be thought likely, because with a high birth-rate in the suburbs there are sure to be many deaths of infants and very young children to raise the death-rate; and in a centre occupied by a population including many persons at the higher ages the death-rate may be also disproportionately increased.

In the first table the deaths and death-rates are given for each city, for its suburban boroughs, and for the city including the suburban towns. With regard to Auckland and Christchurch, the whole of what are usually considered the suburbs has not yet municipal government, and the vital statistics do not deal with the portions which still remain in the road districts. But the omission is not very important, for there is quite sufficient of suburbs included in borough boundaries in either case to give a fair idea of the death-rate of Greater Auckland and Greater Christchurch. As further boroughs are formed the vital statistics will be made to include them.

It will be seen that by including the suburban boroughs the death-rate for last month is lowered at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, while at Dunedin it is raised. The rates for May are,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·21
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. 1·10
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. 0·77
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. 0·76
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. 0·74
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. 0·67
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·88
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. 0·95

Of these the rate for Auckland and suburbs is proved to be the highest, and that for Christchurch, with its surrounding boroughs, the lowest. The rate at Auckland for May, 1·10 per thousand persons, was lower than that for April (1·22). At Wellington the rate fell from 1·02 in April to 0·76 in May, and at Christchurch from 0·84 to 0·67. The rate for Dunedin rose from 0·70 in April to 0·95 last month.

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—The deaths at the four chief centres during May were 21, against 17 in April. Two deaths were caused by influenza—1 at Auckland and 1 at Wellington. Whooping cough caused 1 death at Auckland, 2 at Wellington, and 2 at Dunedin. Diphtheria was also fatal in one case at Auckland, 1 at Christchurch, and 1 at Dunedin. From typhoid fever there were 5 deaths—1 at Christchurch and 4 at Dunedin. The total mortality from this class of disease was 14·0 per cent. of the full number of deaths from all causes, against a proportion of 10·62 per cent. in April.

Constitutional Diseases.—The deaths for May were 39, against 36 in April. The mortality from cancer was very large, amounting to 16 deaths. Deaths from phthisis numbered 18. The others in this class were 2 deaths from tuberculosis, 1 from struma, 1 from leucocythæmia, and 1 from diabetes.

Local Diseases.—Deaths from local diseases at the chief towns and suburbs fell from 74 in April to 62 in May. Of 62 deaths last month, the greatest number was from diseases of the respiratory system—bronchitis, pneumonia, croup, &c.—16 deaths, of which 7 were at Auckland and 6 at Dunedin. Diseases of the circulatory system caused 13 deaths, all from diseases of heart and aorta. Diseases of the digestive system also caused 13 deaths; diseases of the nervous system, 9 deaths; and diseases of the urinary system, 4 deaths. There were also 4 deaths from diseases of the integuments, 1 from spinal caries, 1 from chronic otorrhœa, and 1 from disease of the organs of reproduction (metritis).

Violent Deaths.—There were 8 accidental deaths in May: two of these were from fracture, and 3—all children—from burns. A seaman at Auckland and a labourer at Dunedin were found drowned. An infant died of hæmorrhage from the umbilical cord. The suicides were 2—one by shooting and another by drowning.