Feb. 25.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 675

By the inclusion of the suburbs the rate is raised at Christchurch and Dunedin, but lowered at Auckland and Wellington. It will be observed that Auckland has the highest rate, Wellington next highest, Christchurch and Dunedin following with intervals. The difference between the Auckland rate (30·09) and the Dunedin rate (22·79) is considerable. The birth-rate for the whole colony last year was 26·61 per thousand. Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington are thus over the average, and Dunedin below it.

The birth-rates for three of the central boroughs last year show a rise when compared with 1902. In Auckland the rate rose from 30·80 to 31·67, in Christchurch from 25·84 to 26·59, in Wellington from 25·29 to 29·22; but fell in Dunedin from 19·96 to 19·54. The rates for five years, 1899 to 1903, are,—

Births per 1,000 of Population.

1899.  1900.      1901.      1902.      1903.

      Auckland (without suburbs) .. 25·77 .. 29·31 .. 30·00 .. 30·80 .. 31·67
      Wellington " .. 24·24 .. 25·76 .. 26·35 .. 25·29 .. 29·22
      Christchurch " .. 18·74 .. 21·51 .. 24·12 .. 25·84 .. 26·59
      Dunedin " .. 20·82 .. 22·07 .. 22·04 .. 19·96 .. 19·54

DEATHS AND DEATH-RATES.

The total number of deaths registered for the four centres in 1903 was 2,524—viz., 1,964 in the cities, and 560 in the suburbs.

By including the suburbs the death-rate for last year is lowered at each of the four centres. The rates for the year are,—

Death-rates per 1,000 of Mean Population.

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. 12·97
" and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 12·23
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. 11·30
" and two suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 10·93
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. 11·39
" and one suburban borough .. .. .. .. .. .. 11·29
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. 14·77
" and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 12·47

If the number of deaths of infants under 1 year be excluded, the mortality among the rest of the population is found to have been for 1903 and 1902 in the following ratio to the 1,000 living:—

1902.  1903.

      Auckland (including suburbs) .. .. .. .. .. 11·10 .. 8·57
      Wellington " .. .. .. .. 8·87 .. 8·27
      Christchurch " .. .. .. .. 9·04 .. 8·60
      Dunedin " .. .. .. .. 9·23 .. 11·11

The degree of infantile mortality is perhaps best shown in the proportion of deaths of children under 1 year of age to every 100 births. For 1902 and 1903 the proportions at the chief centres are,—

1902.  1903.

      Auckland (including suburbs) .. .. .. .. .. 14·07 .. 12·15
      Wellington " .. .. .. .. 13·02 .. 9·27
      Christchurch " .. .. .. .. 11·76 .. 10·05
      Dunedin " .. .. .. .. 8·91 .. 6·23

Again, the percentage of deaths of children under 5 to the total number of deaths is—Auckland, 36·38; in Christchurch, 30·82; in Wellington, 28·79; in Dunedin, only 15·85.

The comparison of rates that follow for the towns, excluding suburbs, are all given subject to the fact that Wellington figures for 1903 have been increased by the inclusion of what was formerly the Borough of Melrose, and those for Christchurch by the mortality in the former Boroughs of Linwood, St. Albans, and Sydenham.

Excluding suburbs, and dealing with the deaths at all ages in the four cities or central boroughs only, the rates for 1903 are found to be higher in Dunedin, but lower in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, than in the previous year. The figures for four years are given:—

Deaths, 1900. Deaths, 1901. Deaths, 1902. Deaths, 1903.
Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of
Population. Population. Population. Population.
Auckland (excluding suburbs) 13·69 .. 13·10 .. 17·21 .. 12·97
Wellington " 9·17 .. 10·66 .. 12·58 .. 11·30
Christchurch " 10·62 .. 13·11 .. 12·24 .. 11·39
Dunedin " 12·25 .. 12·64 .. 11·86 .. 14·77

By omitting the deaths of infants under one year, and calculating the rate on the population of one year of age and upwards, the death-rate for Dunedin is still found to be higher in 1903 than in the previous year, but lower at the other three towns.

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

1899.  1900.      1901.      1902.      1903.

      Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. 9·53 .. 9·72 .. 9·93 .. 12·86 .. 9·45
      Wellington " .. 8·39 .. 7·65 .. 8·12 .. 9·54 .. 8·84
      Christchurch " .. 9·16 .. 8·22 .. 10·69 .. 9·03 .. 8·83
      Dunedin " .. 11·59 .. 10·64 .. 10·88 .. 10·35 .. 13·61

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.

Deaths of Children under One Year to every 100 Births.

1899.  1900.      1901.      1902.      1903.      Mean of Five Years.

      Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. 14·47 .. 14·49 .. 11·57 .. 14·07 .. 12·15 .. 13·35
      Wellington " .. 12·26 .. 6·65 .. 10·43 .. 13·02 .. 9·27 .. 10·39
      Christchurch " .. 19·71 .. 11·99 .. 11·35 .. 11·76 .. 10·05 .. 12·97
      Dunedin " .. 10·20 .. 8·37 .. 9·07 .. 8·91 .. 6·23 .. 8·56

Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.—The mortality from these diseases at Christchurch and Dunedin, with their suburbs, was higher in 1903 than in the previous year, but for Auckland and Wellington much lower. The total deaths in this class were 256 for 1903 and 356 for 1902 at the four centres.

Deaths from Febrile and Zymotic Diseases.

Auckland and Wellington and Christchurch and Dunedin and Total.
Suburbs. Suburbs. Suburbs. Suburbs.
1902 .. .. .. 165 .. 108 .. 48 .. 35 .. 356
1903 .. .. .. 86 .. 52 .. 58 .. 60 .. 256

Of the above, diarrhoeal diseases caused most deaths in 1903 at the four centres taken together, the total number being 78. Scarlet fever came next with 50 deaths, whooping-cough 29, measles 28, typhoid fever 16, influenza 15, diphtheria 5, and other zymotic complaints 35.