A.—4.

Deaths. During the year 219 deaths were registered, giving a death-rate per 1,000 of mid-year population of 5-53, whereas during 1927 and 1926 the deaths numbered 495 and 723, with death-rates of 12-82 and 19-36 respectively. The falling-off in the number of deaths is believed to be due to non-registration. In view of the fact that no epidemic had prevailed during the year under review it is surely a feasible argument that such a low death-rate should show a correspondingly increased birth-rate. In the Apia, Tuasivi, Safotu, and Aleipata Hospitals 44 deaths were recorded for the year 1928. deaths op samoans, western SAMOA, 1928. Total Estimated Males. Females. Total. Population, 31/12/1928. Upolu .. .. .. ..69 71 140 26,223 Savai'i .. .. .. ..45 34 79 13,655 Total for Western Samoa .. 114 105 219 39,878

Hospital and Dispensary Statistics for the Year ended 31st December, 1928.

The above figures do not include children seen in our child-welfare work, cases attended to at mission stations where no nurse is stationed, or the numbers visited by members of the European staff. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Grade II Schools (Mission). There are now thirty-one of these schools — twenty-six London Missionary Society and five Methodist Mission. The total number of pupils attending these schools is reported as 2,208. The schoolhouses and sites are arranged for by the respective missions, whilst the Administration is responsible for the supervision, training, and payment of teachers. The schools are placed at convenient centres, and have been established to meet the needs of the village life, the curriculum being arranged accordingly. As these schools form the root of the system of education in Samoa, it is essential that the teaching should be chiefly in the vernacular, in order that the children should become proficient in their own language first. Considerable improvement has been noticed in the'teaching skill of the Native teachers and in the ability of pupils promoted from these schools to the Government District Schools at Vaipouli and Avele. This has amply revealed the worth of the teacher-training undertaken by the Department for the last three years. Refresher courses for teachers were held at Malifa in the month of January. The successful Native candidates from the New Zealand Proficiency Examination were in attendance, and, when the course was completed, were appointed as teachers in the village schools, replacing weaker teachers, who were readmitted to Malifa School for a further course of study. By this system it is hoped that an able teaching staff will be secured. District Schools. Pupils who graduate from the Grade II schools to the higher District Schools of Avele and Vaipouli have the advantage of being taught by European and well-trained Native teachers. The result is that the senior school, Malifa, which forms the apex of the system of schools, is receiving more proficient pupils at a lower age than formerly.

7

Hospitals. |g| Dispensaries. J "gft, 01 3 cot) , ; or «, >» a b rt ® ' ! 03 I -H cS fl O I g \ 4 a 3 Date h g | 5 g V ts rf Stations. opened or Jjtj — 8 «s <« ■i I 'I 1 o|g cU>sed - II j I I 1 <t ? EH GQ H j J W CO O (a) In hospital, 1/1/28 .. 29 7 2 4 42 Fagaloa .. .. 1,596 (a) 1 33 8 Fasitootai Jan. 4* 1,401 (b) Admitted during year 1,382 72 174 90 1,718 Fagamalof .. 1,605 (b) 295 1,051 372 Fusi .. Oct. 31* 594 (c) Discharged during year 1,319 58 165 87 1,629 Gagaemalae .. 1,845 (c) 277 994 358 Lefaga .. Nov. 30* 2,492 (d) Died during year .. 33 4 6 1 44 Lotofaga.. .. 828 (d) 4 33 7 Lufilufi .. Mar. 31* 773 (e) Remaining, 31/12/28 59 17 5 6 87 Malua .. April 30* 1,300 (e) 15 57 15 Manonof July 15J 1,017 Out-patients attendances, 36,340 2,655 3,536 2,103 69,591 Mulifanua Aug. 1J 2,017 including dressings Satalof .. .. 2,839 Satauaf .. .. 2,7541 Treatment for|hookworm | 43 10 450 61 564 Samataitai April 30* 990 Satupaitea Dec. 28* 2,951 Treatment for yaws (N. A B.)| 4,121 1,197 488 809 6,615 Operations— Major .. .. I 256 8 52 37 353 Minor . . . . j 656 22 167 28 873 j ' * Closed, due to shortage of trained Native nurses. t Returns incomplete owing to isolation and other difficulties. J Opened.