5

A.—3

MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. Apart from a mild epidemic of whooping-cough, confined to Rarotonga, general health conditions throughout the Cook Group have remained satisfactory during the year under review. The outlying islands of the Group have been visited wherever possible, and a Medical Officer has spent some time on each. This was possible by Dr. P. H. Buck (of the Bishop Museum) voluntarily assisting in the medical work of the Group during the time he was stationed in various islands oil behalf of the Bishop Museum. The resident nurses at Mangaia and Aitutaki have carried out a very considerable amount of work at the respective dispensaries. Dr. Brass, Assistant Medical Officer, was returned temporarily to New Zealand in January on account of ill health, and his enforced absence has presented a difficult problem in attending during the year to the medical needs of the widely-dispersed territory. Promising reports continue to be received on the two Native medical students attending the Suva Medical School, and when these lads are available for duty the- position in the outlying islands will be considerably relieved. The principal diseases continue to be tuberculosis, filariasis, gonorrhoea, and hookworm, and six new cases of leprosy have manifested themselves since the Territory was cleared of all leper patients some two years ago. Yaws are rapidly disappearing under systematic treatment. The dental condition of the islanders, especially in the Northern Group, is not satisfactory, but the cost of providing a Dental Officer and the difficulty of transport make a systematic undertaking of this work almost an impossibility. Vital Statistics. The following table shows the births and deaths in each island of the Croup for the year :—

Of the deaths recorded 69 were under the age of one year, as compared with 52 last year. Of these 69 deaths 24 occurred in Rarotonga, whooping-cough being responsible for the larger number. Annexed hereto is a table showing deaths at different ages during the year : —

Births. Deaths. Marriages. Name of Island. European. Native. European. Native. Year ending. —— European. Native. , M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. I I Rarotonga .. .. 1 86 ! 75 2 2 49 30 .. 23 31/3/30. Aitutaki .. 29 25 .... 23 16 .. 14 19/12/29. Mangaia .. 28 32 .... 32 39 .. 10 19/9/29. A tiu .. 22 14 1 15 11 .. 9 19/9/29. Mauke .. 12 4 .. .. 12 8 .. 6 13/11/29. Mitiaro .. 5 4 .. .. 1 3 .. 2 25/11/29. Manihiki .. 4 6.... 7 5 .. 3 15/8/29. Rakahanga .. 10 8 1 1 . . 6 12/5/29. Penrhyn .. 5 2.... 2 5 .. 2 15/5/29. Pukapuka .. 16 10 11 9 .. 5 22/10/29. Totals .. 1 .. 217; 180 3 2 153 127 .. 80 I I Total births, 398 ; total deaths, 285.

I i " I : Under 1 Year. | Under 5 Years. Under 10 Years. Under 15 Years, j Under 20 Years. Over 20 Years. Total. Islands. I y ? —r ; r— ! M. j F. j M. | F. M. F. M. I F. j M. | F. M. F. j M. j F. ; . Rarotonga 14 10 4 3 3 1 2 1 .. 27 18 51 32 Aitutaki .. 5 4 I 2 1 .. 3 2 1 13 7 23 16 Mangaia 6 9 2 1 1 2 2 1 4 22 21 32 39 Atiu .. .. 3 1 2 1 1 ! .. 2 11 6 16 11 Mauke .. 1 2 .. 1 1 1 .. 1 1 10 2 12 8 Mitiaro .. 1 2 .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1 3 Manihiki .. 1 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 5 3 7 5 Rakahanga .. .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 Penrhyn .. 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 2 5 Pukapuka .. 3 2 I 2 1 .. .. .. 2 .. 4 5 11 9 Palmerston .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .... Totals 36 33 8 11 8 3 . 7 7 5 8 92 67 156 129