Sept. 13.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1433

ORDER 10:—
Diseases of Integumentary System,—
Eczema .. .. ..

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accident or Negligence,—
Injuries received while rafting timber
Burned .. .. ..
Drowned .. .. ..
Exposure .. .. ..

ORDER 3:—
Suicide,—
By Cutting Throat .. ..
By Hanging .. ..

CLASS VIII.—ILL-DEFINED AND NOT-SPECIFIED CAUSES.
Marasmus, &c. .. ..
Internal Hæmorrhage .. ..

Totals .. .. ..

AUCKLAND AND SUBURBAN BOROUGHS.
Under 5 Years. | 5 Years and over.

WELLINGTON AND SUBURBAN BOROUGHS.
Under 5 Years. | 5 Years and over.

CHRISTCHURCH AND SUBURBAN BOROUGHS.
Under 5 Years. | 5 Years and over.

DUNEDIN AND SUBURBAN BOROUGHS.
Under 5 Years. | 5 Years and over.

TOTAL.

It has been remarked that the vital statistics of the four chief centres of population as given in the monthly reports prior to March last were deficient in a most important particular—i.e., that in striking the death-rates the suburbs were not represented and dealt with in the same way as the cities. It is, no doubt, important to show the mortality in the suburbs, and a suburban death-rate may vary considerably from that of the centre in any case. For, in the first place, the centre and the suburbs may differ in the matter of sanitation, &c.; and, moreover, when the area occupied by a city is largely taken up with 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 condition, 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 are quite enough 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 only, while it is raised at Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The rates for August are,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·56
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·48
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·29
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·31
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·63
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·87
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·92
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·07

Including suburbs, the rate at Auckland is the highest and that of Christchurch the lowest.

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—Deaths from this class of disease at the four chief cities and suburbs increased from 19 in July to 25 in August. Influenza was again the most fatal of the zymotic diseases, the deaths for August having been 10 altogether—4 at Auckland, 4 at Christchurch, and 2 at Dunedin. Whooping-cough caused 5 deaths (children under five years), all at Auckland. Deaths from typhoid and low fever were only 3—2 at Wellington and 1 at Christchurch. The mortality from diarrhœal diseases was also very low, comprising 1 death at Auckland and 1 at Christchurch. Scarlatina and diphtheria caused 1 death each, at Wellington. The other deaths were—1 from syphilis (a child under five years), 1 from erysipelas, and 1 from puerperal septicaemia.

Parasitic Diseases.—A male of forty-eight years died at Wellington of hydatids on the brain.

Constitutional Diseases.—The mortality in August was considerable, including 43 deaths, or 21·39 per cent. of the total deaths from all causes. Of these 23 were from tubercular diseases, 10 from cancer, and 2 from diabetes.

Local Diseases.—The deaths at the four centres were 98, or nearly 49 per cent. of the total. Of this number, 47 deaths were from diseases of the respiratory organs, including 37 from bronchitis, pneumonia, and pleurisy, 6 from congestion of lungs, besides 4 others. This is a great increase on the mortality for the previous month, when deaths from diseases of the respiratory system were only 30. Diseases of the circulatory system contributed 17, diseases of the nervous system 16, and diseases of the digestive system 13 deaths. There were 4 deaths from diseases of the urinary organs, which, with 1 from disease of integuments, complete the total in this class.

Violent Deaths.—Four were cases of accidental drowning. Besides these, a girl of fifteen years died from accidental burning, a mill-hand from injuries received when rafting timber, and a labourer from exposure to cold. There were 2 suicides, 1 of a schoolmaster, from "self-inflicted wounds in the throat," the other of a woman, who hanged herself.