1686 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. [No. 82

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accident or Negligence,—
Fell on Head .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1
Fell from Scaffold .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1
Found drowned .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. 1
Overlain .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. 2

ORDER 3:—
Suicide,—
By Drowning (temporary insanity) .. .. .. .. .. 1 1

CLASS VIII.—ILL-DEFINED AND NOT-
SPECIFIED CAUSES.
Marasmus, &c. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 .. 1 3
Tumour of Neck.. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1

Totals .. .. .. 10 31 8 28 10 21 4 40 152

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,
Wellington, and Dunedin, while it is raised at Christchurch. The rates for October are,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·08
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·96
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·00
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·94
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·63
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·75
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·13
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·91

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

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—There were only 13 deaths from this class of disease at the four cities
and their suburbs during October, against 18 in September and 25 in August. The percentage of the mortality from all
causes fell from 12·4 in August to 8·5 last month. Whooping-cough is again found to be the most fatal complaint,
but the total number of deaths in October (5) was nevertheless 1 less than the number in September (6). Three out of
the 5 deaths in October were at Christchurch, 1 at Auckland, and 1 at Dunedin. The mortality from influenza fell from
10 deaths in August and 5 in September to 2 deaths in October—1 at Christchurch and 1 at Dunedin. Scarlatina
caused 1 and diphtheria 2 deaths. There were also 2 deaths from hereditary syphilis (children under 5 years), as well
as 1 from stricture of the urethra.

Parasitic Diseases.—A woman of fifty-eight years died from hydatids of the liver.

Constitutional Diseases.—The mortality for October (49 deaths) was much heavier than in September (33 deaths).
The increase is found to be mainly in deaths from phthisis, which numbered 23, against 10 in the previous month.
Fifteen persons died from cancer, being the same as in September.

Local Diseases.—The total number of deaths was 71, a decrease of 10 on the figures for the preceding month. This
total comprises—from diseases of the respiratory organs, 20 deaths; of the nervous system, 19; of the circulatory system, 14;
of the digestive system, 10; of the urinary system, 3; of the reproductive system, 2; of the locomotive system, 2; of the
integuments, 1.

Violent Deaths.—The accidental deaths were 5. A woman was killed by falling on her head, a labourer by falling
from a scaffold; a land agent was found drowned; and two infants were overlain in bed. A housemaid committed
suicide by drowning herself.

The subjoined table shows the mortality for the last two months at each of the four centres 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.