Mar. 14.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 697

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.

Death-rates per 1,000 of Population.

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·11
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·01
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·15
" and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 1·11
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·13
" and four suburban boroughs.. .. .. .. 1·12
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·07
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. 0·86

Including the suburbs, the rate at Christchurch is the highest, and at Dunedin the lowest. Compared with January, 1900, the results are,—

January, 1900. January, 1901.
Auckland and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·26 1·01
Wellington and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·79 1·11
Christchurch and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·12 1·12
Dunedin and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·21 0·86

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—The mortality from this class of disease at the four chief cities and suburbs rose from 13 deaths in December to 26 deaths in January, of which diarrhoeal diseases caused 11 in the latter month against 5 in December, and typhoid fever 7 against 2. Of 11 deaths from diarrhoeal complaints in January, 5 occurred at Auckland, 1 at Wellington, 3 at Christchurch, and 2 at Dunedin. There was 1 death from typhoid fever at Auckland, 1 at Wellington, 4 at Christchurch, and 1 at Dunedin. Influenza was fatal at Christchurch only in January, where there were two deaths. Whooping-cough is observed at Wellington (1 death) and at Dunedin (1). At Wellington 1 death from diphtheria is noticed. The total of 26 deaths in the class is made up by adding to the above 2 deaths from septicaemia and 1 from stricture.

Parasitic Diseases.—There was 1 death from hydatids at Wellington.

Constitutional Diseases.—Of 25 deaths in this class, 11 were from cancer, 10 from phthisis, and 1 from diabetes.

Local Diseases.—The mortality was much higher during January than for the previous month—107 deaths against 70. Twenty-one of the deaths in January were from nervous diseases, 1 from diseases of the organs of special sense, 30 of the circulatory system, 20 of the respiratory, 24 of the digestive, 5 of the urinary, 5 of the reproductive, and 1 of the integumentary system.

Violent Deaths.—These numbered 14—11 accidental and 3 suicidal. A labourer died from fractured skull, a painter from a fall out of a cart, an expressman from collision with a railway-train, an aged man from accident to spine, a child from scalding; 4 persons were accidentally drowned, and 2 infants died from accident at birth.

The suicides included 1 by wounds inflicted with a razor, 1 by drowning, and 1 by throwing herself out of a window.