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1934. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF HEALTH.

Presented in pursuance of Section 100 of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, 1926.

HON. J. A. YOUNG, MINISTER OF HEALTH.

CONTEN T S.

Reports of — page Director-General of Health .. .. .. .. .. • • • • • • .. 1- 8 Director, Division of Public Hygiene .. .. .. .. .. •. .. .. 9-21 Director, Division of School Hygiene .. .. .. •. •. . • • • • • 22-31 Director, Division of Hospitals .. .. . . .. •. • • • • • • • • 31-34 Director, Division of Dental Hygiene .. . .. .. .. • • • • • • 34-40 Director, Division of Nursing .. .. . . • • • • • • • • • • • • 40-45 Inspector of Private and Maternity Hospitals .. .. .. .. .. .. • • 46-54

REPORTS.

The Director-General of Health to the Hon. the Minister oe Health, Wellington. I have the honour to lav before you the annual report of the Department for the year 1933-34.

PART I.—GENERAL SURVEY. Vital Statistics. The state of the public health as judged by the ordinary readily applied standards was well sustained in 1933. Death-rate. —A further fall was experienced in the death-rate, and the figure for 1933 (7-98 per 1,000 mean population) was the lowest so far recorded in New Zealand. Infant Mortality.-—The infant-mortality rate (31-60 per 1,000 live births) was slightly higher than the record low figure of 31-32 for the preceding year. Still-births. —The still-birth rate has not shown much tendency to vary since it was first recorded. However, the rate for 1933 (29-7 per 1,000 live births) was slightly lower than that for 1932.

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