Feb. 25.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 597

CLASS VI.—continued.
ORDER 9:—
Diseases of Organs of Locomotion,—
Necrosis of Femur .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1
Wasting of Bones .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accident or Negligence,—
Fall from Sofa .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1
Tree fell on him .. .. .. .. 5 .. .. 1 1
Drowned .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 6
Suffocated (in a drain) .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1
Want of Proper Care .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1

ORDER 2:—
Homicide,—
Homicide by striking with an axe
(non-culpable) .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1

CLASS VIII. — ILL-DEFINED AND NOT
SPECIFIED CAUSES.
Marasmus, &c. .. .. .. 3 1 3 .. 3 .. .. 10
Natural Causes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

Totals .. .. .. 23 23 22 27 18 22 4 40 179

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 Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The rates for January are,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·24
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·05
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·26
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·17
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·00
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·97
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·45
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·93

Including the suburbs, the rate at Wellington is the highest, and at Dunedin the lowest. Compared with January, 1896, the results are,—

January, 1896. January, 1897.
Auckland and suburbs .. .. .. .. 1·15 1·05
Wellington and suburbs .. .. .. .. 1·24 1·17
Christchurch and suburbs .. .. .. .. 1·03 0·97
Dunedin and suburbs .. .. .. .. 0·44 0·93

Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases.—The deaths were more numerous in this class at the four centres during January than in December—32 against 17. The increase was caused by a greater mortality (28 deaths) from diarrhoeal diseases last month—15 at Auckland, 6 at Wellington, and 7 at Christchurch—all of children under five years, except one. The other deaths comprised one each from influenza, enteric fever, stricture of urethra, and septicaemia.

Constitutional Diseases.—The high mortality for December, 1896, at the four centres and suburbs was reduced from 47, to 40 in January. Deaths from cancer fell from 24 to 15. There were, amongst others, 17 deaths from phthisis and 2 from diabetes.

Local Diseases.—The total for January is 70 deaths, against 59 in December: 23 deaths were from diseases of the nervous system, 16 of the circulatory system, 9 of the respiratory system, 13 of the digestive system, 6 of the urinary system, 1 of the reproductive system, and 2 of the organs of locomotion.

Violent Deaths.—Ten were accidental and 1 homicidal. A child fifteen months old was killed by falling off a sofa; a labourer died from injuries caused by falling of a tree; a mariner, an assistant steward, a sailmaker, and two children were drowned at Wellington; a tailoress was found dead in the ocean near Dunedin, a gardener was suffocated in a drain, and the life of an infant was lost from “want of proper care on the part of the parents.” The homicide was effected by striking with an axe, and held to be non-culpable by coroner’s jury.