VITAL STATISTICS.

Evening Star, Issue 7481, 27 March 1888, Page 3

VITAL STATISTICS.

An interesting report has just been issued by the Registrar-General on the vital tics of the year J 8$?. The death vs/tea in \Vcllington, (Jhriatchurch, and jJunedin {Auckland is not given owing to deficient returns) have decreased since ISB6. The Registrar states that the mortality of infants was numerically and proportionately much less in 1887 than in ISB6. The decrease was in each borough, but the largest proportional decreases were in Auckland. From the complete figures as to infant mortality the Registrar deduces thai; ti,e -pVo : babtfiiy o< the survival of infants and of r,U children uuder five years of age is much, greater in' Dunedin and Christenurch thag [n either Wellington or Auckland, Spewa! febrile or ?ivrnotip diijeases caused 21.09 per cent, of deaths in 1887, _ against a similar percentage of 20.63 in 1886, and of 16.50 in 1885. The moat fatal ' diseases, were the following;— Diarrhea, 14$

! deaths (135 children)-viz., Auckland, OS; Wellington, 43 ; Christchurch, 16 ; Uunedin, 17. Phthisis, 113 (Auckland, 29; Wellington, 35; Christchurch, 18; Dunedin, dl). Bronchitis, 65; heart disease, 57; cancer, 56 ; pneumonia, 40 ; typhoid, 38 (Auckland, 7 ; Wellington, 21 ; Christchurch, b ; Dun edin, 4). Among the " special" causes of death were: Alcoholism, 6; delirium tremens, 3; vomiting, 1 ; circumcision, necrosis of internal ear, 1; goitre, 1 ; accident or negligence, 49; suicide, 10. Two females aged ninety or upwards died in Auckland, 28 over eighty, and 91 over seventy. These figures apply only to the four centres—Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The population is estimated as follows for this year compared with last: Wellington, 28,385 against 27,595 ; Christchurch, 1G.217 against 15,950; Dunedin, 24,334 against 24,283.