APRIL 24.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 679

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.

The inclusion of the suburban boroughs tends to lower the death-rate for last month at all four centres. The rates for March are,—

Death-rate per 1,000 of Population.

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·69
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 1·52
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·73
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 0·66
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·02
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 0·91
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·83
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 0·69

Including the suburbs, the rate at Auckland is the highest and at Wellington the lowest. Compared with March, 1895, the results are,—

March, 1895. March, 1896.
Auckland and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·22 1·52
Wellington and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. 1·29 0·66
Christchurch and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. 1·04 0·91
Dunedin and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·94 0·69

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—The deaths at the four centres and suburbs from this class of diseases fell from 67 in February to 40 in March, the mortality from diarrhoeal complaints being only 29 deaths, against 49 in the previous month. Of these 29 deaths from cholera, diarrhoea, and dysentery, 13 were at Auckland, 1 at Wellington, 10 at Christchurch, and 5 at Dunedin.

Miasmatic diseases caused 9 deaths, against 15 in February. Diphtheria is found at Auckland, and influenza at Christchurch and Dunedin (one death in each case), and there were 3 deaths from typhoid fever at Auckland, 2 at Christchurch, and 1 at Dunedin.

The above, with 2 deaths from septicaemia, complete the total of the class.

Constitutional Diseases.—There were 33 deaths in March, being the same number as in February. Cancer caused 12 deaths, the seat of the disease being the breast, uterus, stomach, larynx, liver, and lungs. There were 15 deaths from phthisis.

Local Diseases.—The total deaths was 66 : 19 were from diseases of the nervous system, 12 from diseases of the circulatory system, 8 from diseases of the respiratory system, 15 from diseases of the digestive system, 1 from disease of lymphatic system, 6 from disease of the urinary system, 3 from disease of the reproductive system, and 1 from disease of integuments.

Violent Deaths.—Two were accidental, and 4 suicidal. A labourer was killed by a marble slab falling on him, and a girl of thirteen years by a tram-car. A miner shot himself, and a labourer died from the effects of haemorrhage from a self-inflicted stab. A woman, sixty-four years of age, poisoned herself with “Rough on Rats,” and a labourer hanged himself.