Feb. 10.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 277

Excluding suburbs, and dealing with the deaths at all ages in the four cities or central boroughs only, the rates for 1897 are found to be higher in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin than in the previous year, but considerably lower in Auckland. The total number of deaths and the death-rates for four years are given:—

              Deaths, 1894.            Deaths, 1895.            Deaths, 1896.            Deaths, 1897.
              No.  Per 1,000 of        No.  Per 1,000 of        No.  Per 1,000 of        No.  Per 1,000 of
              Population.               Population.               Population.               Population.

Auckland (excluding suburbs) 484 15·41 .. 471 14·87 .. 453 14·42 .. 416 12·99
Wellington 414 11·82 .. 462 13·07 .. 434 11·59 .. 463 12·03
Christchurch 185 10·55 .. 191 10·83 .. 195 11·49 .. 226 13·15
Dunedin 271 11·38 .. 244 10·21 .. 219 9·60 .. 273 11·81

By omitting the deaths of infants under one year, and calculating the rate on the population of one year of age and upwards, the position of the four cities as regards magnitude of death-rate is altered materially, Dunedin now taking first place.

              Deaths per 1,000 of Population, excluding
              Infants (under One Year of Age).
              1894       1895       1896       1897.

Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. .. 11·53 .. 11·02 .. 10·02 .. 9·64
Wellington .. .. 9·40 .. 9·84 .. 9·17 .. 9·35
Christchurch .. .. 8·69 .. 8·70 .. 8·86 .. 10·65
Dunedin .. .. 9·66 .. 9·67 .. 8·07 .. 10·70

Subjoined is a table showing the rates of infant mortality in the four cities for each of the past five years, together with the mean rates for the period. In respect of both last year’s rate and the mean rate, Auckland stands first, and Dunedin fourth.

              Deaths of Children under One Year to every 100 Births.
              1893.      1894.      1895.      1896.      1897.      Mean of
                                                               Five Years.

Auckland (excluding suburbs) 12·64 .. 15·12 .. 14·86 .. 16·48 .. 12·80 .. 14·38
Wellington 12·26 .. 9·49 .. 12·40 .. 10·05 .. 10·59 .. 10·96
Christchurch 18·60 .. 9·00 .. 11·14 .. 12·97 .. 12·50 .. 12·84
Dunedin 11·16 .. 8·73 .. 9·47 .. 7·83 .. 6·22 .. 8·68

Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases.—There were 201 deaths from this class of disease in the four chief cities and their suburbs during 1897, as compared with 275 in the previous year; the proportion per 100 of deaths from all causes being 9·98 in 1897 against 14·34 in 1896. At Auckland the number of deaths fell from 103 to 82; at Wellington, from 53 to 39; at Christchurch, from 78 to 56; and at Dunedin, from 41 to 24. Of miasmatic diseases influenza was most fatal, 39 deaths from that cause being recorded, against 27 in 1896. Typhoid fever was accountable for 24 deaths—12 in Auckland, 7 in Wellington, 4 in Christchurch, and 1 in Dunedin. There were 12 deaths from diphtheria, and a child of eight years died from scarlet fever. It is worthy of note that not a single fatal case of whooping-cough was returned. Deaths from diarrhoeal diseases numbered 101, against 154 registered in 1896. Of the 101 deaths in 1897, 49 were in Auckland, 22 in Wellington, 24 in Christchurch, and 6 in Dunedin.

Dietetic Diseases.—In this class are found 12 deaths directly attributed to intemperance—10 alcoholism and 2 delirium tremens.

Constitutional Diseases.—Of the 442 deaths in this class, no less than 210 were from phthisis. Cancer caused 129 deaths—30 in Auckland, 29 in Wellington, 36 in Christchurch, and 34 in Dunedin. In 1896 the mortality from cancer in the four chief towns was 150, in 1895 it was 119, and in 1894, 143.

Developmental Diseases.—Premature birth (62) and old age (74) were the chief contributors to the total of 149 in this class.

Local Diseases.—No less than 1,002, or 49·78 per cent., of deaths from all causes are classified as local diseases; and to this total diseases of the nervous system—apoplexy (67), convulsions (46), paralysis (32), meningitis (24), &c.—contributed 237. Diseases of the circulatory system caused 242 deaths, 164 being from heart-disease not more specifically defined. Deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs numbered 210, and of these 79 were due to bronchitis, 78 to pneumonia, 19 to congestion of the lungs, and 10 to pleurisy. There were 162 deaths from diseases of the digestive system, the most fatal causes being gastritis, enteritis, and cirrhosis of liver. Out of 94 deaths from diseases of the urinary system, 45 were caused by Bright’s disease. Diseases of the reproductive system were accountable for 30 deaths, those of the lymphatic system for 13, and those of the integumentary system and of organs of locomotion 6 each.

Violent Deaths.—These totalled 101, against 77 in 1896. Accidental deaths numbered 82, of which 24 were from drowning. Two of the deaths in this class were homicidal: in one case a verdict of “Murder” was returned, and in another “Non-culpable homicide.” There was one execution (hanging) during the year. Suicides numbered 16, against 17 in 1896.

Registrar-General’s Office, GEO. DRURY,
Wellington, 8th February, 1898. Deputy Registrar-General.