Dec. 15.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2011

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 and Wellington, but raises it at Christchurch and Dunedin. The rates for November are,—

Death-rates per 1,000 of Population.

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·46 1·20
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·82 0·76
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·87 0·89
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·60 0·68
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

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

Compared with November, 1897, the results are,—

Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases.—Only 8 deaths from diseases of this class occurred at the four chief cities and suburbs during the month of November, against 14 in October and the same number in September. Measles caused two of these for last month, both at Auckland; enteric fever 2 more, 1 at Auckland and 1 at Christchurch. There were 3 deaths from diarrhoeal complaints, 2 at Auckland and 1 at Wellington.

Parasitic Diseases.—One death was recorded—from hydatids.

Constitutional Diseases.—The deaths numbered 44, against 42 in the previous month. Phthisis contributed 20 deaths, which, with 7 from tuberculosis, &c., makes 27 from all kinds of tubercular disease in the month at four cities. Deaths from cancer were 14, of which 6 were at Wellington. The remaining deaths in this class consisted of 2 from rheumatism and 1 from diabetes mellitus.

Local Diseases.—The mortality for November—72 deaths—at the chief towns was less than in October, when there were 101 deaths, the deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs (bronchitis, pneumonia, &c.) falling from 36 in the former to 14 in the latter month. There were 11 deaths from diseases of the nervous system in November, 22 of the circulatory, 16 of the digestive, 6 of the urinary, and 2 of the reproductive systems, besides 1 of the organs of locomotion.

Violent Deaths.—Seven were accidental and 4 suicides. A miner was run over by an engine, a girl killed by fall while see-sawing, a jockey by falling off his horse, a woman from being gored by a cow. A boy was drowned in a dam, a child scalded to death, and a jeweller inadvertently poisoned himself. Of the suicides, a storeman shot himself, a laundryman hanged himself, a blacksmith killed himself by wounding the throat, and a youth by jumping from a bridge.