826
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 35

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accident or Negligence,—
Fell down companion of steamer ..
Drowned by capsize of boat ..
Found drowned ..
Suffocated ..
Exhaustion after operation ..

ORDER 2:—
Homicide,—
Wilfully murdered (verdict of Coro-
ner’s jury)

ORDER 3:—
Suicide,—
By cutting throat ..
By taking poison ..

CLASS VIII.—ILL-DEFINED AND NOT-
SPECIFIED CAUSES.
Marasmus ..
Intra-uterine decomposition ..
Found dead ..

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.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 3
.. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 2
.. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1
.. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1

.. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1

.. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
.. .. .. 1 .. 1 .. .. 2

2 .. 3 .. 2 .. .. .. 7
.. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1
1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

17 36 8 18 22 24 8 32 165

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.

By including the suburban boroughs the death-rate for last month is lowered at Auckland and Wellington, but raised at Christchurch and Dunedin. The rates for April are,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·49
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 1·24
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·71
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 0·67
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·91
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 1·09
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·80
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 0·82

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

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—A fall in the number of deaths at the four centres, with their suburbs, was noticed last month. The deaths fell again in April, when the number was 22, against 29 in March. The proportion per cent. of deaths from zymotic diseases to the total deaths from all causes was 24·66 in February, 15·11 in March, and 13·34 in April. Of 22 deaths last month 8 only were from diarrhoeal diseases, against 23 in March. Influenza caused 2 deaths, 1 at Auckland and 1 at Dunedin. There was also 1 death from whooping-cough at each of these cities. Diphtheria was fatal in 1 case at Auckland. The mortality from typhoid fever increased from 1 death in March to 6 in April, of which 5 occurred at Wellington. The remaining deaths in April were 2 from congenital syphilis (children), and 1 from septicæmia.

Parasitic Diseases.—The deaths numbered 2, 1 from hydatids in the pleura.

Constitutional Diseases.—The deaths show a decrease from 47 in March to 34 in April. Phthisis caused 13 deaths, and cancer 9.

Local Diseases.—The mortality comprises 74 deaths—viz., from diseases of nervous system, 11 (apoplexy, 6); of circulatory system, 14 (heart-disease, &c., 12); of respiratory system, 18 (bronchitis and pneumonia, 15); of digestive system, 20; of urinary system, 6 (Bright’s disease, 2); of reproductive system, 3; of locomotive organs, 1; and of integuments, 1.

Violent Deaths.—There were 8 deaths by accident, 1 wilful murder, and 3 suicides. A Customs officer was killed by falling down the companion stairs of a steamer, 3 persons were drowned by the capsizing of a boat, 2 persons were “found drowned,” a child was accidentally suffocated, and another died from exhaustion after an operation. A woman, of twenty-five years, was murdered, and another, eighty-four years old, cut her throat while temporarily insane. There were 2 suicides by poison—in one case a girl of nineteen killed herself by eating matches, and in the other the nature of the poison was not stated.