514
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 20]

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accidental,—
Burned .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Drowned .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1
Choked .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Shock after Operation .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
ORDER 3:—
Suicide,—
By Hanging .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1

CLASS VIII.—ILL-DEFINED AND NOT-
SPECIFIED CAUSES.
Marasmus, &c. .. .. .. 3 .. 2 .. 2 .. .. .. 7

Totals .. .. .. 25 19 18 16 21 23 5 19 146

In the first table are given the deaths and death-rates for each of the four cities, for the suburban boroughs severally, 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 Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, but raised at Christchurch. The rates for February are,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·30
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·03
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·91
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·88
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·63
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·04
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·50
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·49

Including suburbs, the rate at Christchurch is the highest and that of Dunedin the lowest. In three out of the four centres (Christchurch being the exception) the rates are lower than in January.

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—The deaths during February at the four centres from this class of diseases numbered 36, against 35 for January and 18 in December of 1894. Of 36 deaths last month, 24 were from diarrhœal diseases: 11 at Auckland, 3 at Wellington, 8 at Christchurch, and 2 at Dunedin. Whooping-cough caused two deaths: 1 at Auckland and 1 at Christchurch. Diphtheria is observed as fatal in one case at Wellington, and typhoid-fever accounts for five deaths, 3 of which were at Auckland. The remaining deaths were 3 from syphilis and 1 from septic poisoning.

Constitutional Diseases.—The mortality from these complaints was much lighter in February than in the two previous months. The deaths were 25, against 36 in January and 32 in December. Deaths by cancer fell from 14 in January to 6 in February, and those by phthisis from 12 to 10. There was 1 death from diabetes in February.

Local Diseases.—The total of deaths is 61, against 87 in January, a decrease of 26. Deaths by diseases of the nervous system (including apoplexy, paralysis, &c.) fell from 24 to 15; by diseases of the circulatory system (heart-disease, &c.) from 14 to 12; by diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, pneumonia, &c.) from 13 to 3; and by diseases of the digestive system from 27 to 19. The remaining deaths in this class in February were 2 from diseases of the lymphatic system, 6 from diseases of the urinary system (Bright's, 3 deaths), 3 from diseases of the reproductive system, and 1 from disease of integuments.

Violent Deaths.—These numbered 5 altogether, 4 by accident or negligence and 1 by suicide. A child of 5 years was burnt to death; a woman found in a sewer, believed to have been drowned; an infant was choked by obstruction of air-passages; and a female of 21 years killed by shock consequent on an operation. The suicide was committed by a clerk aged 59 years, who hanged himself while temporarily insane.

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.

SIX PRINCIPAL SPECIFIC FEBRILE OR ZYMOTIC DISEASES.
PRINCIPAL LUNG-DISEASES.

Towns.
Measles.
Scarlet Fever.
Typhoid and other Fever.
Diphtheria.
Whooping-cough.
Diarrhœal Diseases.
Bronchitis.
Phthisis.
Pneumonia.
Congestion of Lungs.
Feb. Jan. Feb. Jan. Feb. Jan. Feb. Jan. Feb. Jan. Feb. Jan. Feb. Jan. Feb. Jan. Feb. Jan. Feb. Jan.

Auckland and suburban boroughs
Wellington and suburban boroughs
Christchurch and suburban boroughs
Dunedin and suburban boroughs

Totals .. .. .. .. 5 2 1 .. 2 4 24 26 3 6 .. 1 .. 3 .. 2

Registrar-General's Office,
Wellington, 12th March, 1895.

E. J. VON DADELSZEN,
Registrar-General.