H.—3l.

Causes of Death at Four Centres, including Suburbs. While, treating of the death-rates at the chief cities and surroundings, it is desirable to refer to the causes of mortality, which is done in the remarks that follow. The deaths for the whole colony, classified according to their cause, are treated of at length a little further on. Specific Febrile and Zymotic Diseases (at Four Chief Centres). The mortality from these diseases was lower at each of the four centres in 1905 than in the previous year. The total deaths in this class were 115 for 1905 and 202 for 1904. Deaths from Febrile and Zymotic Diseases. 1904. 1905. Auckland and suburbs ... ... ... ... ... 52 45 Wellington „ ... ... ... ... ••• 65 34 Christchurch „ ... ... ... ... ... 36 27 Dunedin „ ... ... ... ... ... 49 9 Totals 202 115 Of the above, diarrheal diseases caused most deaths in 1905 at the four centres taken together, the total number being 44. Influenza came next, with 13 deaths, typhoid fever 10, whooping-cough 2, diphtheria 8, scarlet fever 5, and o£her zymotic complaints 33. Comparison of the deaths for each city, including suburbs, shows, — Auckland. Wellington. Christehurch. Dunedin. Zymotic, &c, Diseases. lgo5 _ lgo4 _ lgo5 _ lgo4 _ lgosi lgo4 lgog lgo4 _ Diarrheal diseases ... 21 24 12 30 9 21 2 17 Influenza ... ... 3 4 3 5 4 3 3 14 Typhoid fever ... 79 24 12 ... 4 Measels ... ••• 4 Scarlet fever ... 2 1 3 3 Bubonic plague ... ... 1 Diphtheria ... ... 3 3 4 5 ... 2 1 Whooping-cough ... 1 1 1 2 Other zymotic diseases 9 10 10 14 12 7 2 12 Parasitic Diseases (at Four Chief Centres). Hydatids were fatal at Christchurch (1 death), and at Dunedin (1 death). Dietetic Diseases (at Four Chief Centres). These numbered 18, 8 being due to want of breast-milk, scurvy, or malnutrition, 6 to alcoholism, and 4 to delirium tremens. Constitutional Diseases (at Four Chief Centres). The deaths at the four cities numbered 646 in 1905. The first in importance of these diseases, and of all causes of death, is tubercle. The figures for 1904 and 1905 show 259 and 211 deaths for each year respectively. Phthisis and other Tubercular Diseases. , 1905. , , 1904. , Other Other Phthisis. Tubercular Phthisis. Tubercular Diseases. Diseases. Auckland and suburbs ... ... 37 12 45 10 Wellington „ ....... 28 14 50 18 Christchurch „ 44 10 42 16 Dunedin „ 47 19 51 27 156 55 188 71 The mortality from tubercular diseases for 1905 is 8-84 per cent, ot the total deaths at the four boroughs and their suburbs from all causes. Deaths from cancer rose at the chief towns from 184 in 1904 to 191 in 1905. The latter number is 8 per cent, of deaths for the year from all causes. The number of deaths from cancer at the four chief towns and their suburbs for each of the last five years was as under : — 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. 1905. Auckland and suburbs... ... 32 44 37 45 35 Wellington „ 38 37 47 44 47 Christchurch „ ...'... 41 25 33 38 49 Dunedin 43 59 62 57 60 Totals 154 165 179 184 191 Diabetes shows 32 deaths in 1905, against 24 in 1904.

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