FEB. 14.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 315

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accident or Negligence,—
Fracture of skull .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Fall down bank .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1
Crushed by falling stone .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1
Injury to knee .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Overdose of chlorodyne .. .. .. 1 .. .. 2 .. 1 .. 1
Drowning .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 4

ORDER 2:—
Manslaughter,—
Unlawfully struck .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1

ORDER 3:—
Suicide,—
By cutting throat .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1
By hanging .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

CLASS VIII.—ILL-DEFINED AND NOT-
SPECIFIED CAUSES.
Marasmus, &c. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 .. 1 .. 2 .. 5

Totals .. .. .. 24 28 36 26 17 21 9 32 193

In the first table are given the deaths and death-rates for each of the four cities, for their suburban boroughs, and for each city with its suburban towns. As regards Auckland and Christchurch, the whole of the area usually recognised as suburban has not yet been brought under municipal government, and the vital statistics do not deal with such portions as still remain in road districts. But the omission is not very important, for there are in either case quite enough suburbs included within borough boundaries 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 each of the four centres. The rates for January are,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·40
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·22
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·74
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·62
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·97
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·91
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·88
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·85

Including suburbs, the rate at Wellington is the highest and that of Dunedin the lowest; but in all cases the rates are considerably higher than in December. These death-rates are based on the estimated population for 1894, the data necessary for computing the present population not yet being available.

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—Deaths from diseases in this class increased from 18 in December to 35 in January, no less than 26 of this number being caused by diarrhœal diseases: 9 at Auckland, 11 at Wellington, 5 at Christchurch, and 1 at Dunedin. (It will also be noticed that among the local diseases—Class VI., Order 5—9 deaths are attributed to gastric catarrh and enteritis.) In December, 4 deaths only were set down to diarrhœa. One death from influenza is recorded at Christchurch; and whooping-cough is accountable for 4 deaths, against 2 in December. Typhoid fever caused 1 death, at Auckland.

Constitutional Diseases.—Deaths from constitutional diseases numbered 36 in January, against 32 in the previous month. In January 14 deaths were due to cancer and 12 to phthisis, against 9 and 10 respectively in December.

Local Diseases.—Mortality from diseases in this class increased from 57 in December to 87 in January. Of this number 24 were from diseases of the nervous system, 14 from diseases of the circulatory system (heart-disease, &c.), 13 from diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, 6; pneumonia, 3; congestion of the lungs, 2; pleurisy and croup, 1 each), 27 from diseases of the digestive system, 7 from diseases of the urinary system, and 2 from diseases of the reproductive system.

Violent Deaths.—Under "Violence" are classed 12 deaths. Of these, 9 were accidental, 1 homicidal, and 2 suicidal. Of the 10 accidental deaths, 4 were due to drowning (1 in Auckland, 2 in Wellington, and 1 in Christchurch); a girl of 19 was thrown from a buggy, and her skull fractured; a boy of 10 died from the effects of an injury to his knee, a man of 50 from an overdose of chlorodyne; a labourer aged 49 was killed by a fall of stone, and a boy of 16 by falling down a steep bank. In one case a verdict of "Manslaughter" was returned, death having resulted from a blow.

Of the 2 suicides, one, a man of 50, cut his throat; the other, a labourer aged 51, hanged himself. In each case the verdict was "Temporary insanity."

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