718
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 29

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

Death-rates per 1,000 of Mean Population.

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·15
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 1·18
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·75
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 0·72
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·88
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 1·53
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·94
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 0·77

Including the suburbs, the rate at Christchurch is the highest, and at Wellington the lowest. Compared with February, 1898, the results are,—

February, 1898. February, 1899.
Auckland and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·23 1·18
Wellington and suburbs.. .. .. .. .. .. 0·76 0·72
Christchurch and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·80 1·53
Dunedin and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·68 0·77

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—The deaths in this class at the four cities and suburbs increased from 40 in January to 55 in February. Again it is remarked that the increase is nearly all found to have been at Christchurch, where the mortality from zymotic diseases amounted to 30 deaths in February against 20 in January, and 1 in December of last year. Of the 30 deaths last month at Christchurch 23 were caused by diarrhoeal diseases, which also caused 9 deaths at Auckland and 3 at Dunedin, making 35 deaths altogether from diarrhoea and cholera infantum at the four centres.

Besides 23 deaths from diarrhoea, Christchurch had also 1 death from measles, 1 from influenza, and 3 from diphtheria. Auckland shows, along with 9 deaths from diarrhoea, 4 from measles and 3 from whooping-cough. At Wellington there was only 1 death from influenza and 1 from typhoid fever in February. Dunedin had 3 deaths from diarrhoeal complaints, as previously stated.

Constitutional Diseases.—The mortality at the four towns was low in February (33 deaths) as compared with January (54). Cancer caused 11 deaths; pulmonary consumption, 14.

Local Diseases.—Of 68 deaths, 16 were from diseases of the nervous system, 13 of the circulatory, 13 of the respiratory, 15 of the digestive, 2 of the lymphatic, 6 of the urinary, 1 of the locomotive, and 2 of the integumentary systems.

Violent Deaths.—These numbered 7, all accidental; no suicides. A draper’s assistant was struck by a rope on the wharf at Wellington, and killed; a farmer was killed by the wheel of a wagon passing over him, at Auckland; a bootmaker was poisoned by eating tinned fish, and an infant asphyxiated, at Christchurch; a plumber was killed by carbolic-acid fumes at Auckland; an infant died at birth, and a female from shock after operation, at Christchurch.