480
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
No. 18

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 rate at Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, but raises it at Christchurch. The rates for February are:—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·24
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 1·23
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·77
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 0·76
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·70
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 0·80
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·73
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 0·68

Including the suburbs, the rate at Auckland is the highest and at Dunedin the lowest.

Compared with February, 1897, the results are,—

Auckland and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. February, 1897. 1·51 February, 1898. 1·23
Wellington and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. 0·74 0·76
Christchurch and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. 0·92 0·80
Dunedin and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. 0·47 0·68

Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases.—The deaths at the four chief cities and suburbs were 53 altogether from this class of disease. Influenza caused 22 deaths (exactly the same number as in January)—4 at Auckland, 6 at Wellington, 3 at Christchurch, and 9 at Dunedin. There were 27 deaths from diarrhœal diseases—14 at Auckland, 8 at Wellington, 5 at Christchurch, but none at Dunedin. Typhoid fever caused 4 deaths—3 at Dunedin and 1 at Wellington.

Constitutional Diseases.—Of 24 deaths, cancer contributed 12 and phthisis 7.

Local Diseases.—The deaths in this class fell from 96 in January to 50 in February. The deaths from nervous diseases (including apoplexy, meningitis, &c.) were only 7 in February against 26 in January; from diseases of the circulatory system, 8 against 21; from diseases of the respiratory system, 15 against 19. From diseases of the digestive system the fall was from 23 to 15. The remaining deaths for February were 2 from diseases of the urinary system, 2 from those of the reproductive system, and 1 of the organs of locomotion.

Violent Deaths.—These numbered 7—5 from accident and 2 from suicide. A cab-driver died from injuries caused by a runaway horse; a woman was burnt to death by her clothes catching fire; another died from administration of chloroform; and two infants were accidentally smothered. One suicide was that of a woman who cut her throat, another the case of a bricklayer who poisoned himself.

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.

| Towns. | Six Principal Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Principal Lung-diseases. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Measles. | | Scarlet Fever. | | Typhoid and other Fever. | | Diphtheria. | | Whooping-cough. | | Diarrhœal Diseases. | | Bronchitis. | | Pleurisy. | | Pneumonia. | | Congestion of Lungs. | |
| | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Jan. | Feb. | Jan. |
| Auckland and suburban boroughs | .. | .. | .. | .. | 3 | 1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | .. | .. | 1 | 1 | .. | .. |
| Wellington and suburban boroughs | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 8 | 4 | .. | .. | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | .. | .. |
| Christchurch and suburban boroughs | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 2 | .. | .. | 5 | 7 | 2 | 2 | .. | .. | 1 | 1 | .. | .. |
| Dunedin and suburban boroughs | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1 | 1 | .. | .. | 2 | 3 | .. | 4 |
| Totals .. .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4 | 1 | .. | 2 | .. | .. | 27 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | .. | 4 |