1172
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 54

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accident or Negligence,—
Concussion of Brain .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Drowned .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Suffocated (overlain) .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Hæmorrhage .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
ORDER 3:—
Suicide,—
By Shooting .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1
„ Poison .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1

CLASS VIII.—ILL-DEFINED AND NOT-
SPECIFIED CAUSES.
Marasmus, &c. .. .. .. 2 .. 3 .. 2 .. .. .. 7
Collapse .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1
Totals .. .. 7 25 17 42 6 21 9 31 158

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 rates at each of the four centres. The rates for June are,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·84
„ and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·71
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·37
„ and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·32
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·75
„ and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·63
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·07
„ and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·82

Including the suburbs, the rate at Wellington is the highest and at Christchurch the lowest.

Compared with June, 1897, the results are,—

June, 1897. June, 1898.
Auckland and suburbs .. .. .. .. 0·96 0·71
Wellington and suburbs .. .. .. .. 1·05 1·32
Christchurch and suburbs .. .. .. .. 0·82 0·63
Dunedin and suburbs .. .. .. .. 0·78 0·82

Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases.—The total number of deaths at the four chief towns and suburbs for June was 16, against 28 in May, 30 in April, 43 in March, and 53 in February. Influenza caused 3 deaths in June—1 at Auckland and 2 at Christchurch. Diphtheria also contributed 3 deaths—1 at Auckland, 1 at Wellington, and 1 at Dunedin. From typhoid fever the mortality was confined to 5 deaths—2 at Auckland and 3 at Wellington. The mortality from diarrhoeal diseases was singularly small, the deaths numbering 3 altogether—all of them at Wellington. Besides those above referred to, there was 1 death from erysipelas and 1 from puerperal septicaemia—both at Auckland.

Constitutional Diseases.—The deaths last month numbered 37, 26 being from phthisis. The mortality from cancer was low, comprising 6 deaths, against 18 in the previous month.

Local Diseases.—Of 76 deaths, 13 were from diseases of the nervous system, 19 of the circulatory, 23 respiratory, 12 digestive, 5 urinary, and 4 of the reproductive system.

Violent Deaths.—There were 4 accidental deaths and 2 suicidal. All the accidental deaths were at Auckland. A ship’s cook died of concussion of brain with drowning, a journalist was “found drowned,” an infant met his death by suffocation from being overlain, and another died from hæmorrhage and exhaustion.

A woman committed suicide by means of poison, and a draper by shooting 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.