1142 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. [No. 49

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 Christchurch, but raises it at Dunedin. The rates for May are,—

Death-rates per 1,000 of Mean Population.

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·74
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. 1·50
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·87
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. 0·83
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·88
" and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. 0·79
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·98
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. 1·05

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

May, 1898. May, 1899.
Auckland and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. 1·33 1·50
Wellington and suburbs.. .. .. .. .. 1·23 0·83
Christchurch and suburbs .. .. .. .. 0·98 0·79
Dunedin and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. 0·80 1·05

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—This class shows 40 deaths at the four chief towns and their suburbs for the month of May, against 41 in April and 44 in March. The mortality from these diseases was very heavy at Auckland during May, amounting to 21 deaths, while Dunedin had 13, Christchurch 4, and Wellington only 2.

Whooping-cough caused 9 of the deaths at Auckland, typhoid fever 5, and diarrhœa 6. At Dunedin there was 1 death from measles; diphtheria and typhoid fever are observed with 2 deaths each, diarrhœa contributing 4 deaths. At Christchurch, typhoid fever and diarrhœa are shown with 1 and 2 deaths respectively; and Wellington had 1 from diphtheria and 1 from typhoid fever.

Constitutional Diseases.—The mortality at the chief towns increased from 27 deaths in April to 37 in May. From cancer there were 19 deaths last month, and 12 from phthisis.

Local Diseases.—There were 80 deaths in May, against 73 in April. Twenty-three of these for last month were from diseases of the nervous system, 14 of the circulatory, 28 of the respiratory, 8 of the digestive, 6 of the urinary, and 1 of the reproductive system.

Violent Deaths.—These numbered 9 altogether—8 from accident and 1 by suicide. A carpenter died at Auckland from tetanus caused by fracture; a labourer from fall of earth at Wellington; a cook from injury to brain received in falling at Dunedin. A mariner was drowned at Wellington, a woman in the Avon at Christchurch, and a child at Dunedin. An infant was suffocated through being overlain, and a chemist died from an overdose of morphia self-administered at Dunedin. A farmer shot himself at Auckland.